KOCHI: A mobile application with all the information for fishermen is a good idea. But one which prevents them from crossing territorial waters and getting caught is even better. The safety of marine fishermen, about 8 lakh in the country and 1.8 lakh in Kerala, is a big concern, as over 100 fishermen, mainly from Kerala and Tamil Nadu, are languishing behind the walls in Sri Lanka, Iran and Qatar for crossing sea borders.
The Fisher Friend app, jointly developed by Qualcomm India and MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), already live in Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu, will be launched by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in Kerala at Mangombu in Alappuzha district on February 6.
The safety feature of the App is simple, whenever the fishing boat or vessel is within 5 km of the International Boundary Line a ‘beep’ sound will be generated cautioning them against crossing the line.
The pilot of Fisher Friend app started in December last year and 46 fishermen in the state are using it. Available in English, Malayalam, Telugu and Tamil, the mobile app was formally launched in 2013 and currently over 2,000 fishermen use it.
“The Fisher Friend app has contributed to the safety of fishermen and in one instance it helped rescue more than 40 fishermen caught in bad weather conditions, by enabling them to use the GPS capability to report their location to the Indian National Coast Guard. The app is an outstanding example of a public-private partnership that uses mobile technology to bridge the information deficit of a vulnerable section of society and for their well-being,” said Anirban Mukerji, senior manager-Government Affairs, Qualcomm India Pvt Ltd. He added that talks were on with telecom companies such as Vodafone, Airtel, Idea and MTS to increase connectivity in the coastal area.
Fisher Friend will provide information on local weather, oceanic conditions, potential fishing zones and markets in local language to help them fish safely, productively and profitably.
The app will be launched in West Bengal and Odisha and in the West Coast. At present the app will be available on MSSRF website and it loaded into the Google Play store.
“Fisher Friend is a useful tool especially when we are at sea. I have been using the app regularly for the past one month. The app helps us get a better catch and fetch more profit. At the same time it increases our safety as well,” said Tony, a fishermen in Puthiyathura in Thiruvananthapuram district.
Justin Antony, founder president, International Fishermen Development Trust, said that more fishermen from the country were being detained by foreign authorities compared to the past and apps like this would help them be safe. “The government should initiate steps to spread awareness on the app in a big way,” he said.