Sri Vijaya Puram, Aug. 28: Indian Coast Guard Regional Headquarters (A&N), Sri Vijaya Puram, under the aegis of Headquarters A&N Command, organised an interaction with owners and masters of fishing boats, representatives of the Department of Fisheries and members of the fishing community, with an aim to strengthen maritime safety, coastal security and foster enhanced coordination and cooperation with the fishing community recently.
The interaction focused on sensitising fishermen on the challenges encountered during Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) operations, including consequences of inadvertent activation of Distress Alert Transmitters (DATs). As part of the initiative, Safety Guidebooks were also distributed to members of the fishing community. The guidebook, published in local languages viz. Bengali, Tamil, Telugu and English, will serve as a ready reference on essential safety practices and precautions to be followed whilst operating at sea.
The importance of the fishing community in strengthening coastal security was also highlighted. Fishermen were encouraged to maintain vigilance whilst at sea and report any suspicious activity, thereby serving as the “Eyes and Ears” of security agencies and helping enhance the Coastal Security Mechanism of the Islands.