A project is underway at our center to develop a seamless communication
network for fishermen at sea. A network operations center (NOC) for the communication
network is required to monitor, manage and troubleshoot the problems in the deployed
network. With the deployment of a proper NOC at shore, one can discover and authenticate
boats entering and leaving the network, provide a topology map, constantly monitor the
deployed infrastructure, faults in the network, failure of any node, etc., and take proper
corrective actions. In addition, the NOC will send alerts about an imminent storm, intrusion
of foreign vessels, maritime border crossing etc., to the fishermen. The NOC will also collect
distress signals and other alerts from the boats and relay them to the appropriate
stakeholders on land. It will also be used for software upgrades, making configuration
changes and other maintenance tasks on the network nodes. This work outlines the design of
an effective and functional management subsystem and a NOC for the network of fishing
vessels at sea.