Key Points
Mandatory QR-coded Aadhaar for sailors
Vessel registration numbers must be clearly painted
Drone surveillance monitoring maritime activities
Fishing licenses subject to strict compliance
Fisheries Department Commissioner Kishor Tawde's directions came days after the Fisheries and Port Development Minister Nitesh Rane had visited Sassoon Dock in south Mumbai where he noticed that most of the sailors did not have Aadhaar cards.
At that time, Rane had given instructions to issue a directive, making it binding for sailors going for fishing to have Aadhaar cards. Accordingly, the Fisheries Development Commissioner on Friday issued the directive.
"Every sailor going for fishing in this maritime area must carry a QR coded Aadhaar card. Also, as per the provisions of Section 435(H) of the Indian Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 and Section 6(4) of the Maharashtra Marine Fisheries Regulation Act, 1981 (Amended 2021), it is mandatory to paint the registration number of the fishing vessel in the country in a permanent manner on the vessel.
"The registration number of the vessel shall be clearly visible on both sides at the rear (upper) part of the vessel, and it shall be mandatory to paint it on the roof of the cabin of the vessel. Only after taking such action will the fishing licenses of the vessels be renewed and fishing tokens be issued," reads the directive.
"Also, appropriate action will be taken against the owners of the vessels who do not take this action by cancelling the fishing license as a violation of the terms and conditions of the fishing license under the Maharashtra Marine Fisheries Regulation Act, 1981 (Amended 2021)," says the directive.
The Fisheries Department's move comes after it launched a drone-based aerial surveillance along the state coast last month in order to keep a hawk's eye on illegal fishing in Maharashtra.
A drone monitoring and digital data maintenance mechanism to keep track of this feed shared by these devices has been established at the Mumbai office of the Fisheries Department.
The minister said that the drone monitoring project has been launched at Palghar, Thane, Mumbai Suburban, Mumbai City, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Mirkarwada, Sindhudurg - Devgad.
