Mobile advisory application, a hit among fishermen

The technology of the mobile advisory service, mKRISHI@ Fisheries, was developed by the Mumbai Research Centre of the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) and materialised by Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) and the Tata Consultancy Service (TCS) under the National Agriculture Innovation Project (NAIP). 

A study conducted by the CMFRI in 13 fishermen societies in Maharashtra has found that the fishermen could save up to 30 per cent of fuel consumption with the help of the mKrishi@Fisheries mobile app, a CMFRI release said here. 

The reduction of the fuel consumption has benefits in terms of environmental 

impact where an estimated 1.2 per cent of global oil production is consumed in fisheries. The study also revealed that the app had a positive impact on the livelihood of the fishermen with improved catch and reduced cost along with providing them safety and security in the sea.

‘mKRISHI@Fisheries app’ provides information on Potential Fishing Zone (PFZ) generated by INCOIS, sea surface temperature, weather and the presence of phytoplankton which form the food of several fish species based on the remote sensing data received from NOAA and Indian satellites. 

The app consolidates these information and presents advisories in local languages, with easy to use icons on Java and Android mobile phones. In addition, the app, which is a result of multi-dimensional research and field work of experts from the CMFRI, INCOIS and TCS, was adjudged among the 20 best Social Innovations in the country by the  Ministry of External Affairs and NITI Ayog. 

The technology won a place in the prestigious National Contest on Social Innovation 2016, hosted by the Ministry of External Affairs along with NITI Ayog. The application was listed among the 20 top social innovations selected from a total of 774 applications, the release said. 

According to VV Singh, Scientist-in-Charge of CMFRI’s Mumbai Research Centre, the information on the presence of potential fishing zone has helped fishers reduce unnecessary trips and the associated cost of diesel, ice and labour, he said adding that the app is beneficial to the fishermen to get to know the wind speed and direction, wave heights in a colour coded band helping them identify the unsafe regions in sea.