Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), has come out with a new mobile application ‘SAMUDRA’ - Smart Access to Marine Users for Ocean Data Resources and Advisories, offering comprehensive information on all ocean related services, useful for both seafarers and the fishing community.
Scientists at the institute informed that the mobile app empowers users with real-time updates and critical alerts on oceanic disasters such as tsunamis, storm surges, high waves, and swell surge alerts, for the individuals and communities to stay informed and take necessary precautions towards the protection of lives and property.
It will be especially beneficial to the fishing community as it disseminates Potential Fishing Zone (PFZ) advisories which will guide them to the probable fish aggregation locations. Much before the latest app launch, INCOIS has been providing fishing zone and Ocean State Forecast (OSF) services through SMS messaging to about seven lakh fishermen across all the coastal states, they said.
Fishermen can be guided to the most probable fish aggregation locations enabling them to maximise catch rates, and thus, improve livelihoods. The institute has also been reaching out to the community to popularise the services through interactive sessions covering both the East and West coasts. The workshops have been held in Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh– July 7), Veraval, Gujarat– July 14, Mumbai, Maharashtra– August 3, Digha, West Bengal– August 8 and Chennai, Tamil Nadu– August 11.
The OSF services are being provided to various public and private firms like the Indian Coast Guard, Indian Navy, shipping industries, maritime boards, ONGC – Oil & Natural Gas Commission and others. The five-day advanced OSFs will help mariners, fishermen, and coastal communities to plan their activities in advance, mitigating risks and optimizing operations based on predicted ocean conditions. The app also has interactive maps, charts, and animations for enhanced comprehension of complex oceanic phenomena, explained the scientists.
“SAMUDRA mobile app is a cutting-edge tool helping users to navigate the marine domain with confidence on their safety, and profitable fishing operations. It embodies the institute vision and mission in serving the nation with ocean data, information, and advisory services. It will catalyse sustainable ocean activities, thus enabling a way forward for the Blue Economy,” said INCOIS Director Dr. Srinivasa Kumar Tummala.
While the app launched by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on the occasion of the 17th MoES foundation day on July 27, is currently serving in English, soon eight coastal languages are proposed to be included soon. The app is currently available for download via https://incois.gov.in/samudra/. It will soon be available in respective app stores.
