Kerala Reports 469 Fishermen Deaths in 11 Years, Prepares New Rescue Protocol

The Kerala government is preparing a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for fishermen’s safety and response to accidents at sea, seeking to strengthen emergency coordination, modernise rescue infrastructure and ensure faster action when fishing boats meet with mishaps or fishermen go missing.

Fisheries Minister V. E. Abdul Gafoor announced the move on Saturday following the disappearance of three fishermen in separate boat mishaps in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts. He said budgetary support has already been allocated to modernise safety systems, while the proposed SOP will specify actions during sea accidents and introduce modern equipment and facilities.

The move is significant because Kerala already has an extensive maritime safety network. The state has 21 fishing harbours, 43,298 fishing vessels and around 10.49 lakh fisherfolk, besides rescue boats, harbour-based rescue squads, control rooms and marine ambulances. The Fisheries Department says 100 rescue-squad personnel operate across 15 harbours.

Between 2015-16 and 2025-26, 469 fishermen died and 160 went missing, while authorities conducted 5,072 sea-rescue missions and rescued 47,773 fishermen. In 2025-26 alone, 55 fishermen died despite 560 rescue missions that saved 6,556 fishermen.

The proposed SOP could therefore transform existing resources into a time-bound, coordinated response system. It could establish clear procedures for distress reporting, vessel-location verification, rescue mobilisation, Coast Guard coordination and medical evacuation.

Gafoor also acknowledged a shortage of marine ambulances and said additional vessels would be deployed. Kerala already operates three marine ambulances, introduced following lessons from the 2017 Ockhi cyclone. The 2026-27 Revised Budget provides ₹1.50 crore for marine ambulances and ₹2 crore for sea safety and rescue operations within a ₹37.30-crore Marine Fishery outlay.

Weather warnings are another focus. Gafoor said alerts were issued promptly during recent incidents but acknowledged the need to ensure warnings are implemented more effectively at fishing harbours.

The financial safety net is also being strengthened. Kerala provides up to ₹10 lakh insurance compensation for accidental death or fishermen missing while fishing, while a separate ₹1 lakh welfare-fund assistance is available to dependents of missing fishermen.

Forest Minister Shibu Baby John, meanwhile, said Ockhi remained a major lesson and called for modern coastal rescue mechanisms and a comprehensive SOP.

The proposed framework could ultimately shift Kerala from reactive rescue to integrated risk management, with faster detection, coordinated response, improved medical evacuation and stronger financial protection for fishermen’s families.