New technology to help rescue fishermen

by Manjula FERNANDO

The Hi-tech Vessels Monitoring and Navigation system operated by GPS and satellite technology will be introduced by the Fisheries Ministry shortly to monitor poaching and help rescue fishermen in danger in international waters.

This technology to be bought from a foreign body will also have the capacity to monitor fishing vessels in lucrative fishing zones on a daily basis, Minister Rajitha Senaratne told the Sunday Observer adding that there is no such mechanism at present in Sri Lanka to monitor and assist Sri Lankan fisherfolk.

“We have already received offers from nearly 20 international bidders from about eight countries. These offers are being evaluated by a technical expert group to pick the best suited technology for Sri Lanka,” the Minister said.

Among the countries represented by the bidders are Denmark, China, United Kingdom, Slovenia and Korea.

The conditions put forward by Sri Lanka include that the particular technology must facilitate two way communication (a transponder to receive and transmit), identify illegal, unreported and unrepresented vessels entering the country’s territorial waters, Relay daily updates on new fishing zones provided by NARA and issue warnings to vessels, both foreign and Sri Lankan, that they are about to cross the maritime borders.

“Sri Lanka has never had such mechanism,” the Minister said adding that their target was to introduce this technology by the first half of next year. “We will select the best technology out of the 20 bidders before the end of the year.” At present, Sri Lanka is at the mercy of foreign states to rescue its vessels. Last week a multi-day fishing vessel from Beruwala went missing for four months and was spotted near the Maldives with only one survivor out of the five fishermen. Earlier, a smaller boat went missing and was found after a month with two survivors out of three.

With this technology, which gives unlimited global cover, the radio room of the Fisheries Ministry and the 20 stations islandwide can monitor the Sri Lankan vessels wherever they are - in Sri Lankan or international waters. When there is a distress call or in a case of a missing vessel in international waters, we could provide vital information of the location of the marooned craft and speed up rescue missions, Ministry sources said.