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Goa Fisheries Department has made wearing lifejackets compulsory for fishermen at sea on trawlers or canoes. The State witnessed a devastating impact of cyclone Phyan two years back, in which 60 fishermen were killed, largely because of lack of safety gear.
The Deputy Director of Fisheries Department, Mr Nandkishor Verlekar, said lifejackets have been made mandatory from February this year.
“The Government has launched a financial assistance scheme for the fishermen to procure these jackets,” he said, adding that 75 per cent of the cost of the jackets would be reimbursed by the State Government.
According to a rough estimate, there are around 10,000 fishermen in the State. Mr Verlekar said fishermen were “rattled and now fear going off the coast without lifejackets” after the cyclone.
According to the State directive, there has to be a set of five lifejackets and one life-buoy on fishing canoes, while on trawlers, each crew member will have to wear a jacket, and there has to be four life buoys.
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