Rescue measures in place to ensure safety of fishermen during trawl ban

To ensure the safety of fishermen who venture into the sea on country boats during the trawl ban period, the Fisheries department has decided to deploy additional rescue boats with trained crew. The special safety arrangements will be in place from June 9 to July 31.

Three dedicated rescue boats will operate 24x7 off the Kozhikode coast. These will be in addition to a hired fibre boat designated for deep-sea rescue operations and the existing Karunya Marine Ambulance. The fibre boat, arranged specifically for major rescue missions, will be stationed at Chombala harbour.

According to Fisheries department officials, a district-level review meeting chaired by the District Collector has already been held, with participation from all relevant departments. Based on the decisions taken, there will be heightened vigilance and coordination on the part of the Coast Guard, Coastal Police, Navy, Port, Revenue, and Health departments.

In Kozhikode district, the trawl ban will affect 552 mechanised boats and 5,098 fishing boats fitted with outboard engines. The total number of registered fishing boats, including country boats, stands at 6,223. In addition, 120 boats are operating with registrations from outside Kerala.

“Although boats with inboard engines are permitted during the trawl ban, pair trawling will not be allowed under any circumstances. Fishermen must carry their identity documents for inspection and ensure they have the necessary emergency life-saving equipment,” said an official from the Fisheries department. A district-level control room has been set up to provide round-the-clock rescue support and can be reached at 04952-414074.

Meanwhile, some country boat operators have raised concerns over the delay in preparing a fully equipped fishing boat for deep-sea rescue and the lack of improvement in wireless communication systems. They pointed out that only a larger fishing boat manned by trained personnel would be capable of effective life-saving interventions during rough weather.  

“The existing marine VHF (very high frequency) wireless systems are outdated. The State government must intervene to adopt modern communication technology,” said a senior functionary of the Kerala Fishing Boat Operators Association. He added that there have been multiple instances where fishermen were unable to reach the emergency operations centre at Beypore using the traditional systems.

Published - June 06, 2025 07:48 pm IST