HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad-based Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) launched a number of products like an Android app for ocean information services and an atlas of potential fishing zones (PFZ) in Indian exclusive economic zone (EEZ) here on Tuesday.
“Atlas of potential fishing zones and Andorid-based app on ocean information services for fishermen will help them in finding the exact locations of fish. App guides fishermen directly to the fishing spot during fishing. While app will be directly distributed to fishermen now, it will be made available on Google Play store soon. For those who do not have smart phones, the Centre unveiled an SMS service in local languages. The text messages will provide potential fishing zone advisory on a real time basis,’’ said INCOIS director SSC Shenoi after the launch of atlas and app at the user interaction workshop held at INCOIS here.
B Meenakumari, deputy director general (Fisheries), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) appreciated the usefulness of fishing zone forecasts and urged INCOIS to come up with future products which not only specially support commercial fishing operations but also ensure the sustainability of fishing.
Besides atlas and app several other innovative products were also launched on the occasion. Daily bulletin on ocean state forecast along shipping routes, high resolution ocean state forecast for West Coast of India were also launched at the workshop.
Daily bulletins on ocean state forecast along shipping routes was introduced first in Chennai-Port Blair route and Kolkata Port Blair route. Other standard shipping routes will soon be covered. At selected way points enroute information would be disseminated on winds, waves, sea currents, atmospheric pressure, rainfall among others. This would be useful for not just shipping industry but also for Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard, explained Shenoi.