Mangaluru : Fisheries department will issue a circular on making QR code-based card mandatory for fishermen, District In-charge Minister and Minister for Fisheries, Port and Muzrai Kota Srinivas Poojary said.

He was speaking at an interaction programme on fisheries organised at Nethravathi hall in Zilla Panchayat office on Tuesday.

“In order to collect information on fishermen and to save their lives during an emergency, it was decided to make the QR code-based biometric card mandatory for the fishermen. The department is working on modalities of issuing the card through Sevasindhu web portal or through fisheries department,” Poojary said.

Participants during the interaction said farmers had received facilities through Kisan cards and fishermen should also be provided with Kisan card benefits. The minister promised to bring the issue to the notice of the Director of Fisheries department and Deputy Chief Minister.

MP Nalin Kumar Kateel said hundreds of families were dependent on fishing in the country for their livelihood.

Coastal Security Police SP Chethan said to save the fishing boats during emergency situations, colour coding system was introduced for the fishing boats.

“If the fishermen have any problem with the system, then they can submit a memorandum to the Coastal security police,” he added.

Fisheries department Joint Director Brahmachari said there were 3.28 lakh fishermen in the coastal districts and 1.57 lakh among them were active. There are 4,585 mechanised boats, 9,362 motorised boats and 9,097 traditional boats.