National Informatics Centre - Registration and Licensing of Fishing Crafts

The Problem: Fisheries and related activities in coastal states of India was controlled and monitored through their respective MFRA (Marine Fisheries Regulation Acts). The existence of state laws often slowed down timely and proper monitoring of fishing activities. Taking a leaf from the effective Kerala model, the Govt of India has imple- mented a uniform web based project ReALCraft, to keep an online database of all fishermen and fishing vessels frequenting the coasts, in order to avoid bogus registration and allow security agencies to identify genuine registered vessels.

The Solution: Through ReALCraftt, all crew members on the roll are issued a boarding pass, while the vessels are given a distinct registration number with a licence and registration certificate, besides their owner gets to fill an online application for settlement of insurance claims.

The Result: 3 Lakh fishing vessels have been registered, similar to giving a motor vehicle registration number. It has enhanced coastal security, optimized utilization of fisheries resources, and speeded up vessel registration.