Maharashtra to start drone surveillance of coasts to prevent illegal fishing

Fishermen look for a catch in the Arabian Sea, off Mumbai coast, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Maharashtra will be the first State to introduce drone surveillance of coasts to keep a stronger check on illegal fishing by trawlers from neighbouring States, primarily from Karnataka, Gujarat, and Goa.

Nine drones will be used in seven coastal districts of the State over a period of eight years. Each drone will conduct surveillance of 120 nautical miles per day. “This move is being taken to protect sustainable fishery for traditional fisherfolks in Maharashtra, as the current means of manual surveillance lead to a difficulty in checking the irregularities,” Assistant Commissioner Fisheries (Marine) Ajinkya Patil told The Hindu .

The project will be inaugurated by State Fisheries Minister Nitesh Rane on Thursday. It will be useful in keeping a check on bull trawling, line trawling, fishing by purse seine and gill net, and illegal fishing with the usage of LED lights, dynamite, chemicals.

First State

“Maharashtra is the first State to implement this. At present, it is not possible for the patrol boats to check every boat in the sea. To catch the unauthorised boats, drones will help in maintaining proper control and strict enforcement of the Civil Code. Due to the high speed of the drone, more area will be covered at one time. After mapping fishing using drones, information about unauthorised fishing can be easily made available to the Department. Drone will also be used as a coordination tool with the Maritime Police department, which will help in strengthening maritime security,” said Joint Commissioner (Marine) Mahesh Deore.

Officials said a large number of trawlers from Gujarat, Karnataka, and Goa enter the territorial waters of Maharashtra, and indulge in fishing, thereby robbing the local fisherfolks of their livelihoods. “They come in speedboats. With the drones, we will be able to get the names and the registration numbers of these boats, so action can be initiated against them. As per the provisions of the Maharashtra Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1981, amended in 2021, heavy fines from ₹1 lakh to ₹20 lakh are imposed for the violation of rules,” Mr. Patil told The Hindu .