Tracking small fishing vessels along India’s coast

Topic- Internal Security [GS Paper-3]

Context- Third edition of the ‘pan-India’ coastal defence Exercise ‘Sea Vigil-22’ is to be held on November 15-16 to test coastal security.

Key Highlights 

• A delayed project to install transponders on small fishing vessels, under 20 metres in length, as part of coastal security measures instituted post 26/11 Mumbai attacks has been seen making progress, with a project underway in Tamil Nadu. 
• In a related development, the third edition of the ‘pan-India’ coastal defence Exercise ‘Sea Vigil-22’ is scheduled to be held on November 15 and 16, by the Indian Navy.
• The Exercise was conceptualised in 2018 to validate various measures that have been instituted towards enhancing maritime security since ‘26/11’.
• Also the process of installing transponders on sub-20 metre boats commenced with a pilot project in Tamil Nadu for 5,000 vessels is underway.
• To allay the concerns of fishermen, the transponders with positioning navigation systems have been modified into a two-way communication system.
• There are about three lakh registered fishing vessels of which around 2.5 lakh are under 20 metres.

Various Projects to Track Small Fishing Vessels

Automatic Identification System

• An Automatic Identification System (AIS) has been made compulsory for all vessels above 20 metres after the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai.
• The decision was taken by the National Committee on Strengthening Maritime and Coastal Security, headed by the Cabinet Secretary, set up in order to look into issues related to coastal security. 
• However, for vessels under 20 metres, the process has been delayed for several reasons.
• Trials were conducted in association with the Indian Space Research Organisation on one of their communication satellites last year along the coasts of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.

Vehicle Management System

• The Vehicle Management System (VMS) has certain advanced features and enables two-way communication. 
• The technology has also been handed over to four companies for commercial production.

ReALCraft

• Verification and monitoring of a large number of fishing vessels in India has been greatly eased by the creation of the online ReALCraft (Registration and Licensing of Fishing Craft).

Biometric Identity Cards

• Issuance of biometric identity cards to the majority of fishermen and composite card readers to the maritime security agencies has been done to enable biometric verification of the identity of fishing vessel crews at sea.

Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA)

• As part of overall efforts for Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) on the high seas, the Quad grouping, comprising of India, Australia, Japan and U.S., at the Tokyo summit early this year announced an ambitious Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) initiative with an aim to track “dark shipping” and build a “faster, wider, and more accurate maritime picture of near-real-time activities in partners’ waters” integrating three critical regions in the Indo-Pacific – the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, and Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Exercise Sea Vigil

• The inaugural edition of the exercise Sea Vigil was conducted in January 2019.
• The exercise is billed as India’s largest coastal defence drill.
• The exercise Sea Vigil is a build up towards the major Theatre Level Readiness Operational Exercise (TROPEX), which the Indian Navy conducts every two years.

Exercise Sea Vigil-22 

• Exercise Sea Vigil-22 aims at  providing a realistic assessment of India’s strengths and weaknesses and thus will help in further strengthening maritime and national security.
• The exercise will observe activation of the coastal security apparatus across India and is being conducted by the Indian Navy in coordination with Coast Guard and other Ministries entrusted with the task of maritime activities.
• It will be undertaken along the entire 7,516 km coastline and Exclusive Economic Zone of India and will involve all the Coastal States and Union territories along with other maritime stakeholders, including the fishing and coastal communities.

Significance of the exercise 

• The exercise stands significant as Sea Vigil and TROPEX together will cover the entire spectrum of maritime security challenges, including transition from peace to conflict.
• It also provides opportunity, at the apex level, to assess the country’s preparedness in the domain of maritime security and coastal defence.

Download as PDF