The deep sea fishing project, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on July 27 to end bottom trawling in the Palk Bay, received fresh impetus as 52 shipyard companies, including 13 IRS (Indian Register of Shipping) class shipyards, evincing interest in building tuna long liners-cum-gill netter boats. The Tamil Nadu Fisheries department floated tenders in August, and 52 shipyards, including the premier Cochin Shipyard, Tebma shipyard, Mahindra Mrine Private Ltd., Master Shipyard and Shoft Shipyard, have shown interest, official sources said here. A good number of 13 IRS class shipyards have evinced interest in building the long liners and this is very encouraging, an official said. Cost sharing Under the project, the cost of a long liner is fixed at Rs.80 lakh. The Centre provides 50% subsidy and the State government 20% subsidy. The beneficiaries would be helped to raise 20% (Rs.16 lakh) through institutional finance after their contribution of 10% (Rs.8 lakh). The process of shortlisting the companies has begun and some of these shipyards have been given time to fulfil the required parameters, he added. Pending finalisation, the department has floated fresh tenders for supplying components such as engine, refrigerator and steel for the long liners, the sources said. Meanwhile, the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT) has designed the model of the long liners after entering into a Memorandum of Understanding with the public sector Cochin shipyard. A batch of fishermen, committed to deep sea fishing, will visit Cochin shipyard next week to take a look at the 3D model of the boat and give their suggestions for any modification. After the design gets finalised, the Cochin shipyard would make available at least three types of boats and the fishermen would have the option to select boats as per their requirements, the sources said. The boats would be built after signing a tripartite agreement with the beneficiaries and fisheries department. Stating that the agreement would be signed within this month, officials here said the Cochin shipyard has been asked to handhold’ Tamil Nadu government in this project and come out with the first lot of 25 to 30 boats at the earliest. We are aiming to send the first batch of Rameswaram fishermen to deep sea fishing by March next year, the sources said.