INCOIS advisory helps fishermen net Hilsa bonanza off Bengal coast
Fishermen off the West Bengal coast reported a record haul of Hilsa fish, which scientists attribute to the success of the INCOIS Hilsa Fishery Advisory (HiFA). The system uses machine learning to analyze environmental data and provide predictive fishing zone maps to local communities.
Why it matters
This demonstrates the practical application of AI and data science in improving the livelihoods of traditional fishing communities and managing natural resources.
Earlier this month, on August 11, fishermen returning to the Digha coast of West Bengal brought back an exceptionally large haul of Hilsa fish, with landings estimated at 30-40 tonnes in a single day. The bumper catch generated excitement not only among fishing communities but also scientists hundreds of kilometres away at the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) here.
The record haul appeared to validate the effectiveness of INCOIS’s species-specific Hilsa Fishery Advisory (HiFA), a forecasting system designed to help fishermen locate favourable fishing grounds for the prized fish.
Launched last year during INCOIS’s Foundation Day celebrations, HiFA was developed primarily to support fishermen along the West Bengal coast. The advisory uses advanced machine learning algorithms to predict Hilsa availability at sea and categorises fishing prospects into five levels: very low, low, medium, high and very high.
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