Officials of fisheries department have instructed all fishermen venturing into sea to wear life-jacket compulsorily as new fishing season of mechanized boat has begun.
Vivek R, joint director of Fisheries department of Udupi, said, “If life jacket and other life-saving equipment are not there on the boat, the registration of boat does not take place. However, many fishermen do not wear jacket once the registration of the boat is over. Fishing is a profession in which the fishermen’s lives are at stake. When the sea turns violent, the fishermen get entangled in strong winds and lose their lives. Hence, all fishermen have to mandatorily wear life-jacket, especially when the sea is violent.”
Dayananda Suvarna, president of Malpe Fishermen’s association said, “Most of the fishermen do not wear life-jacket as wearing it and working for 24 hours in a day is difficult. But they have to wear it in order to save their lives.”