Sea Boats to Get Free Transponders on National Space Day

Visakhapatnam: State government is planning to distribute free Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)-developed transponders to owners of all motorised and mechanised fishing boats.

The disclosure came at a seminar organised on Friday by the Fisheries Survey of India (FSI) in collaboration with the Andhra Pradesh Fisheries Department. The transponders are expected to be distributed on the occasion of the National Space Day celebrations on August 23. They are an example of how space technology can be leveraged to benefit the fisheries sector.

Addressing the seminar, district collector M.N. Harendira Prasad said that once fixed on fishing boats, these transponders will enhance the safety of fishermen when they are fishing in sea and get caught in adverse weather conditions.

FSI joint director D. Bami Reddy explained that these transponders will provide critical information on weather conditions to fishermen. Additionally, during an emergency, this equipment can be used to communicate with those in boats and alert the Coast Guard.

“In case fishermen face adversity, those on the boat can press the buzzer of the transponder installed in their boat, so that they could be rescued,” Bami Reddy told Deccan Chronicle.

Coinciding with the National Space Day on August 23, all boat owners will be trained on how to use the transponders effectively.

Those who attended the seminar included junior fisheries scientist G.V.A. Prasad, Avental senior engineer Gajanan Prasad Yadav, and DISAC Ahmedabad scientist G. Sai Ramakrishna.