THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Fisheries Minister J Mercykutty Amma on Wednesday said the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) will provide real-time information on the market price of fishes and allied news through the GPS-enabled GEO Augmented Navigation (GAGAN).
After talks with the INCOIS chief in Hyderabad, the minister said the INCOIS will incorporate the technical features in NAVIC - designed by the ISRO and manufactured by Keltron - to provide advisories on the fishing zone to help fishermen locate shoals and offer advance market information along with safety warning.
Mercykutty Amma said the communication distance in the sea will be enhanced to 1,500 km from the present 20 km following the launch of ‘NAVIC’ (Navigation with Indian Constellation) and the fishing vessels will be equipped with it by May second week as stated by ISRO chairman K Sivan.
The new system will disseminate information in the local language through the device. Meanwhile, the state-run Keltron has signed an MoU with the ISRO to incorporate a Distress Alert Transmitter into the NAVIC device. Ten navigation devices developed by Keltron successfully cleared the ISRO’s quality test . Keltron will enhance its facility to manufacure DAT- equipped NAVIC devices in the next phase.