MUMBAI: Fisheries minister Nitesh Rane on Thursday launched drone-based aerial surveillance of all fishing activity along the Maharashtra coast next week. Officials said drones will detect, track and identify illegal and unauthorised fishing vessels. This is part of the drone monitoring and digital data maintenance mechanism to monitor fishing vessels along the coast. As part of the project, drones took off at stations in seven maritime districts of the state and relayed images to the fisheries department control room. The drone monitoring project will be launched in Gorai, Sassoon Docks, Shirgaon (Palghar), Uttan (Thane), Raigad’s Revdanda and Shrivardhan, Ratnagiri’s Mirkarwada and Sakhrinate and Devgad in Sindhudurg.
“This drone monitoring project is being implemented with a view to effectively implement the Maharashtra Marine Fishing Regulation (Amendment) Act, 2021. To protect the interests of the traditional fishing community of Maharashtra as well as to prevent illegal fishing by migrant fishermen, the Maharashtra State Fisheries Act, 1981 (Amendment) Act, 2021 has come into force. Patrolling operations are carried out by the patrol vessels but it is not possible to inspect every boat while patrolling the sea by a patrol boat. The unauthorized boats often escape from the patrol boats and are difficult to catch,” said Rane.
“The use of drones to control the waters of the state will help the department patrol the waters more effectively, get information with evidence of unauthorized fishing boats and it will be convenient to take strict action against such boats under the maritime law. The speed of the drone will help in monitoring several areas at the same time. After mapping the fishing boats using drones, the information about unauthorized fishing boats will be easily available to the department. The drones will be used to monitor the coastal areas of the state in coordination with the Marine Police Department. It will also help in enhancing maritime security,” Rane said.
Officials said to curb illegal fishing, drone-based monitoring surveillance and data maintenance systems have been taken on lease for a period of 8 years + 2 years. “The drone system will cover a distance of 12 nautical miles from the 720 km long coastline of the state to the maritime boundary of the state. Streaming of the drone system will be used as evidence to monitor unauthorised fishing boats and provide information about such boats along with evidence. A total of 9 drones have been made available on lease for 7 maritime districts of the state,” officials said.
“A total of 9 drone flying demonstrations for 7 marine districts have been conducted by the supplier. Drones will be flown with the help of marine police,” the official added.