Mon Oct 13 14:42:20 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary of the text and a rewritten version of the article as a news piece:

**Summary:**

The M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) has developed a mobile app, Fisher Friend, that helps protect endangered Olive Ridley turtles and supports fishing communities in India. The app’s “No-Fishing Zone Alert” system uses geolocation to warn fishers in real-time when they approach turtle nesting sites, preventing accidental violations of fishing bans and potential penalties. The app, which has won the Tech4Nature Award at the IUCN World Conservation Congress, has evolved since the 2004 tsunami to include weather information, disaster alerts, and navigation assistance, serving over 122,000 users in multiple languages. MSSRF plans to expand the app’s capabilities and reach, including incorporating AI and extending its model to other coastal regions and vulnerable species.

**News Article:**

**Tech App Helps Indian Fishers Protect Endangered Turtles, Wins International Award**

**CHENNAI, INDIA – October 13, 2025** – An innovative mobile application is proving to be a game-changer in marine conservation, helping to protect endangered Olive Ridley turtles while supporting the livelihoods of fishing communities along India’s coastline. The Fisher Friend Mobile Application, developed by the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), recently received the prestigious Tech4Nature Award at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi.

The app’s key feature, the “No-Fishing Zone Alert,” uses geolocation technology to provide real-time warnings to fishers approaching protected turtle nesting areas. These zones are crucial for the Olive Ridley turtles, which migrate annually to nest on the Odisha coast. Seasonal fishing bans are in place to protect the turtles, but a lack of clear boundaries has often led to accidental violations.

“Fishers cannot see these boundaries,” explained Velvizhi S., Area Director of MSSRF’s Coastal and Marine Resources Programme. “The No-Fishing Zone Alert transforms invisible legal boundaries into real-time notifications that fishers can understand and act upon immediately, protecting the turtles while preventing fishers from facing penalties that could devastate their families.”

The alert system uses geo-fencing to mark critical conservation zones, including the Gahirmatha Marine Wildlife Sanctuary. When a boat enters within 200 meters of these areas, an automatic warning is sent via the app. To date, the alert has been triggered over 7,000 times, potentially averting countless incursions into protected habitats.

Originally developed after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami as a tool for sharing weather and ocean information, the Fisher Friend app has evolved through 54 iterations, shaped by input from the fisherfolk themselves. It now serves approximately 122,000 registered users across nine coastal states and one union territory, providing real-time updates on weather conditions, fishing zones, disaster alerts, and government schemes, in nine Indian languages. The app also helps fishers navigate hazards like rocks and sunken ships.

“Fishermen in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Andhra Pradesh are using the mobile app to navigate danger zones like rocks, sunken ships and dead coral reefs,” says Ms.Velvizhi.

Looking ahead, MSSRF plans to expand the app’s capabilities, exploring the use of AI-powered chatbots in regional languages to enhance accessibility. They also aim to extend the model to other coastal regions and vulnerable species, such as dugongs.

“Fishers are now asking for more granular ocean information, such as microclimate data, which they say often differs from broader forecasts. We’re also exploring ways to scale this up across other South Asian countries and apply AI to better analyse the data,” says Dr. Soumya Swaminathan.

The Fisher Friend app stands as a testament to the power of technology and collaboration in addressing complex environmental challenges, offering a practical solution that benefits both marine life and the communities that depend on the sea.

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