Karnataka’s First Sea Ambulance Project Set to Take Off, Work Order Expected Soon

Karnataka’s First Sea Ambulance Project Set to Take Off, Work Order Expected Soon

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, July 7, 2025: A long-pending demand of the coastal fisher community is set to become reality, with Karnataka’s Fisheries Department preparing to issue a work order within a week for the construction of the State’s first sea ambulance. The project, estimated to cost ₹7.85 crore, is expected to be completed by 2026.

According to Fisheries Director Dinesh Kumar Kaller, the sea ambulance will be powered by an 800-HP engine — significantly more powerful than the 350-400 HP engines typically used in deep-sea fishing boats. “The ambulance must be able to reach distressed fishing vessels quickly, often outrunning them in emergency situations,” he said on the sidelines of a fisheries workshop jointly organised by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) and the State Fisheries Department in Mangaluru on Saturday.

Construction of the vessel is expected to take at least seven months once the work order is issued. “We aim to deploy it ahead of the next fishing season,” Kaller added. The sea ambulance will be equipped with paramedical staff, emergency medical facilities, and even a mortuary, and will be stationed at one of the fisheries ports along Karnataka’s coast.

Once operational, it will be Karnataka’s first sea ambulance. Kerala currently has three in operation.

The initiative follows Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s announcement in the 2024-25 State Budget regarding the introduction of a sea ambulance for fishermen.

Kaller also announced that over 2,000 Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) will be distributed free of cost to trawl net users to aid in the conservation of sea turtles. Each device, costing ₹23,500, will be jointly funded by the Union and State governments. “Three such devices have already been distributed in Mangaluru as part of the formal rollout,” he said.

He further stated that Karnataka is willing to extend the annual fishing ban from 60 to 90 days, provided there is consensus among all coastal states along the West Coast.

Speaking at the workshop, the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) Director Grinson George announced that a pilot study has been launched to assess the commercial viability of deep-sea fishery resources beyond 200 metres, currently underutilised due to technological and financial constraints. Funded by the National Fisheries Development Board under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), the study is being carried out by CMFRI and the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT) along with other stakeholders. Mr. George said India risks losing these trans-boundary resources—such as oceanic squid, tuna, mesopelagic fish, and ribbonfish—to other nations if not tapped soon. He stressed the urgent need for modern, well-equipped fishing vessels to sustainably exploit these resources and meet demands like protein-rich fish meal production. The Union government is supporting vessel construction through PMMSY subsidies, and a recent workshop involving CMFRI and CIFT scientists focused on creating a roadmap for sustainable deep-sea fishing while conserving vulnerable marine species.