Soon, electronic identification device for fishing trawlers

Over 11,000 fishing trawlers in the state will soon be fitted with a special electronic identification device under the Static Sensors Project of Coastal Surveillance Network (CSN) of the Coast Guard. The move will help keep a watch on traffic and movement of boats of the state, which shares maritime boundary line with Pakistan.

Initially, CSN — inaugurated by Defence Minister A K Antony for the Gujarat and Maharashtra cluster in Porbandar on Saturday — will cover only the ships and vessels that are already registered and can be electronically identified. Trawlers will be covered in the second phase of the project.

Once the special identification device is fitted in trawlers, their real-time movement can be traced within a 25-nautical miles radius of any of the eight static sensor towers installed along the Gujarat coastline.

"As it will be helpful in finding identification of boat owner and crew onboard in real time, it will be a great boost for sea surveillance where vastness is the biggest challenge," said Gujarat Coast Guard DIG Rajan Badgotra.

Officials said the project will help the Coast Guard to follow and trace a suspicious trawler before it comes near landmass.

At present, electronic communication between trawlers and boats takes place only when the former sends signals through devices like very high frequency (VHF) in case of distress. As of now, physical verification is the only option available to security agencies in case they find anything suspicious while patrolling in the high sea.

With 46 remote radar sites, from Gujarat to Kerala, which will detect electronic signals from moving ships and trawlers, CSN will help to track and monitor traffic flow effectively.

The data collected from the radar sites will be available to district, regional, remote and headquarters at New Delhi for analysis and action.

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