Minister hails water purifier technology as beneficial for both deep, inland fishing

The technology converting salty seawater into potable drinking water in high seas is useful for both fishermen venturing into inland and deep-sea fishing, Minister for Fisheries, Port and Inland Water Transport S Angara said on Friday.

He was addressing reporters after having witnessed the demonstration of an Australian-based technology purifier turning saltwater into potable water in a boat that sailed from Bunder to Bengre.

The minister said that fishermen venturing for deep-sea fishing, which sometimes lasts for over 15 days, need over 5,000 litres of water for drinking and bathing needs.

If the purifier converting seawater into potable water is installed on boats, fishermen will be spared the burden of carrying fresh potable water, he said.

The purifier also minimises the total load on boats and helps fishermen utilise the additional space for storage of fish, he added.

The minister also promised to hold talks with the government on minimising the cost of purifiers by releasing subsidies.

Karnataka Fisheries Development Corporation (KFDC) chairman Nithin Kumar, director of fisheries department in Bengaluru, Ramacharya, district fisheries department joint director Harish Kumar, KFDC managing director M L Doddamani, among others, were also present.

A similar demonstration was conducted before officials from the fisheries department and the Fisheries College here recently.