Awareness cum demonstration programme on marine mammal mitigation measures and use of dolphin pingers at Vasco Da Gama, Goa

Awareness cum demonstration programme on marine mammal mitigation measures and use of dolphin pingers at Vasco Da Gama, Goa

Interaction of marine mammals with fishing system is a major concern. The interaction affects badly to the fishermen as it damages the fishing nets and results in fish catch loss. Use of pingers is the worldwide recognized and accepted marine mammal mitigation measure. To popularize and familiarize the use of pingers in Indian fisheries, ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (ICAR-CIFT), Cochin, conducted an awareness cum demonstration workshop on Marine mammal fishery interaction and mitigation measures and use of dolphin pingers at Vasco Da Gama, Goa 11th December 2024. 
The class was handled  by Dr. Prajith K. K., Senior Scientist, ICAR-CIFT He spoke on the need and importance of marine mammal conservation, mitigation measures, ICAR-CIFTs initiatives to develop indigenous pinger etc. In demonstration session the handling, installation, working, use and care of pingers on various gears were conducted.  Pinger is acoustic instrument exclusively built to deter dolphins approaching fishing nets and creating huge damages to nets and loss of catch. Pinger is designed to works by emitting a sound wave signal beyond 70 KHz that is known to be in the best hearing range of most dolphin species. The signal acts as an alarm, and in some cases the pinger stimulates dolphins to use their echolocation which alerts them to the presence of the pingers and fishing nets. Though this sound wave is not audible to human being but it creates disturbance to dolphins and results in avoiding approach of dolphins near to fishing net.  
Mr. Santana Xavier D’souza, General Secretary, Zuari Fishermen Cooperative Society, was the chief guest for the programme. 10 number of dolphins pingers were handed over to the society for the participatory field trials. 20 fishers from the society attended the workshop. 
Mr. Rohit Sancolcar, Manager, Zuari fishermen cooperative society welcomed the gathering and Dr. Dhiju Das P, Senior Technical Officer, ICAR-CIFT  offered vote of thanks. 
 
Demonstration on attaching pingers on the purse seine net

 
General Secretary, Zuari Fishermen Cooperative Society receiving from ICAR-CIFT officials
 
The workshop in progress