Vikas Kumar
Sri Vijaya Puram, 30 May 2025
In a bid to enhance the safety of marine fishing communities in the Nicobar Islands, the ICAR-Central Island Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-CIARI) organized a focused awareness program on the use of Distress Alert Transmitters (DATs) for the Nicobarese tribal fishers. The event was held on 29th May 2025 at the Tribal Council office in Car Nicobar.
DATs are increasingly being recognized as life-saving devices that allow fishers to send immediate distress signals and receive timely assistance during emergencies at sea. The awareness initiative aimed to equip local fishers with the knowledge and confidence to integrate these devices into their daily fishing activities.
A total of 25 tribal fishers participated in the program, which also saw the active involvement of Chief Captain Mr. Lionald Nicomed. Speaking at the event, Mr. Nicomed urged the community to adopt DATs as a regular safety measure, emphasizing that “safety and tradition can walk hand in hand.”
ICAR-CIARI staff members Mr. Vinay and Ms. Sonia led the session, providing a detailed overview of the DAT system along with hands-on demonstrations to ensure practical understanding among the participants.
The initiative is part of the “Coastal Fisheries Information Hub” project, supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), under the leadership of Dr. Eaknath B. Chakurkar, Director of ICAR-CIARI. The project aims to strengthen coastal community resilience through technology-driven interventions.