The Fisheries department of Kerala plans to involve other stakeholders in forming a body capable of taking decisions when fishers go missing at sea, particularly during the crucial initial period referred to as the ‘golden hour.’

The decision was taken at a high-level meeting of officials chaired by Fisheries Minister V.E. Abdul Gafoor in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday, in the wake of protests by fishers alleging delays in search operations for three fishermen who are missing at sea in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts.

The plan is to involve other agencies, such as the disaster management authority, Revenue department, police, Coastal Police, Marine Enforcement and the Navy, besides the Fisheries department, to ensure quick action in the event of accidents at sea.

The draft of a standard operating procedure for dealing with instances of fishers going missing is ready. Fisheries director Chelsasini V. has been directed to prepare a detailed SOP to present to the stakeholders.

Since the fishing community is best equipped to gauge conditions at sea, including the speed of winds and currents, and take decisions based on them during the ‘golden hour,’ a local rapid response team of fishers will be formed to support search operations.

Since the Fisheries department and other government agencies concerned do not have scuba divers and instead hire them, the Fisheries department plans to train mussel divers and others interested in diving, provide them with training and a retainer fee, and post them as scuba divers at each harbour to support search operations.

At present, very little organised data on fishers who regularly venture out to sea are available with the Fisheries department, fishing groups or at the local level, except for information available with the Kerala Fishermen’s Welfare Fund Board. To overcome this hurdle, the department plans to maintain updated, digitised data on fisherfolk.

The department is also mulling a programme to overcome fishers’ reluctance or disinterest in taking insurance, whether for personal coverage or for their vessels, big or small. Besides providing a safety net against loss of life during accidents at sea, insurance will also provide coverage in the event of injury or damage to vessels.

Published - August 11, 2026 10:22 am IST