Mobile Satellite Services in the Fisheries Industry

European waters have long been subjected to intensive trawling, and more than their fair share of illegal and unreported fishing. As a result, fish stocks have been declining for many years. To reverse the trend, and preserve a precious resource for future generations, the European Union (EU) urgently needed a more rigorous system of recording, reporting and monitoring catches.

 

With this in mind, the EU voted to introduce an Electronic Recording and Reporting System (ERS) requiring all fishing vessels to submit full and accurate electronic records of catches, transhipments and landings (e-logs). Skippers must submit e-log data by midnight each day, even when there are no catches.

 

Under the EU directive, all craft over 24 metres (72 feet) were required to adopt the new system from 1 January 2010, and those over 15 metres (45 feet) from 1 July 2011. An e-log is an obvious technological step forward in an age when the fishing industry is embracing more and more advanced electronic systems, from fish-finding software to electronic charts. It no longer makes sense for skippers to submit catch records on paper – a process not only slow and unwieldy, but also open to human error and abuse.

 

Telespazio VEGA MSS – as a supplier of Inmarsat and Iridium products and services – is ideally positioned to assist Service Providers in giving the best of class e-log solution to their potential customers. Not only can we offer the technical expertise to help put together a solution, but we can provide key, affordable airtime packages for your fisheries clients.

 

This expertise and special pricing can also be applied to the private yacht sector – please contact msssales@vegaspace.com for more details.