The Fisheries Ministry, in collaboration with the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) and the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), is taking a significant step towards modernizing the marine sector by introducing drone technology. This joint initiative aims to demonstrate the potential of drones to address key challenges in fisheries, with a particular focus on enhancing operational efficiency, reducing environmental impact, and improving resource management in aquaculture and marine fisheries.
Scheduled for November 8, the awareness workshop and demonstration at CMFRI will offer fishermen and fish farmers a firsthand look at the various capabilities of drones. The goal is to highlight how drones can be an effective tool in monitoring water quality, managing algal blooms, transporting live fish, and conducting marine mammal stock assessments. With the support of drones, fishers can detect algal blooms early, which is crucial for preventing the spread of harmful algae that could devastate fish stocks. Drones can also precisely distribute feed, reducing waste and labor costs.
One of the notable applications of drones in the marine sector is for cage fish farming, as CMFRI Director Dr. Grinson George explains. Drones can be used to monitor fish health, measure water quality parameters, and optimize feed distribution, ultimately minimizing environmental impact. Additionally, drones can aid in offshore and coastal fish farming operations by monitoring water conditions and assessing other environmental threats.
The project also seeks to leverage drones for efficient transportation of live fish from remote aquaculture sites to markets, preserving freshness while cutting down on transportation time and costs. This use of drones in transportation is expected to provide fish farmers with better market access and prices for high-value, cage-farmed fish.
Furthermore, the workshop will address the use of drones in marine conservation, including the tracking and surveillance of marine mammals, which can improve species protection efforts. The technology could be deployed in rescue operations to save endangered species and aid research on marine life interactions and behaviors. Research initiatives such as water quality assessments of the Vembanad Lake will also benefit from this technology, allowing for more comprehensive environmental monitoring.
Union Minister of State for Fisheries, George Kurian, will inaugurate the workshop, which promises to offer a practical demonstration of these advancements. By integrating drone technology into fisheries, India’s marine sector stands to make strides in sustainable practices, conservation efforts, and economic growth, creating a blueprint for future technology-driven innovations in the field.
