Dinesh Kumar Kaller
Credit: DH PHOTO
Mangaluru: Karnataka Fisheries Department Director Dinesh Kumar Kaller has said that the state government has made it mandatory to use Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) on trawl nets used for deep-sea fishing.
Speaking at a regional workshop on deep-sea resource exploration and the conservation of Endangered, Threatened, and Protected (ETP) species in Mangaluru, he said that the use of TEDs will help save Olive Ridley turtles — an endangered species protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
"The government will soon begin installing the device on trawl vessels free of cost. Around 3,000 trawl boats along the Karnataka coast will be equipped with TEDs," he said.
Two-way communication transponders have already been installed on trawlers in the state and will soon be extended to mechanised fishing vessels. As many as 24 deep-sea trawlers have been constructed with government subsidies, and work on 10 more vessels is currently underway.
Sea ambulance
When asked about the sea ambulance project, the Director stated that a work order would be issued within a week. The sea ambulance will be built at a cost of Rs 7.85 crore.
It will be equipped with paramedical staff, four to five beds, and an 800 hp engine to ensure high-speed response. The sea ambulance will provide timely medical assistance and facilitate the evacuation of stranded or injured individuals during emergencies at sea. It will be stationed at a harbour on the coast and will also be equipped to offer first aid.
The sea ambulance is expected to be ready by the next fishing season. Once the work order is issued, construction is likely to take six to seven months. The vessel will also feature a mortuary to handle deaths occurring mid-sea. He noted that Kerala currently operates three sea ambulances, and a team from Karnataka recently visited the state to study their operations.
As per the tender specifications, the sea ambulance will include firefighting systems such as hydrants and extinguishers, life-saving equipment including 20 life jackets and buoys, two rafts, oxygen cylinders, hand flares, and medical devices like an automated external defibrillator (AED) and electrocardiogram (ECG) machines.