Ahead of new European Union rules that go into effect next year, Ireland has signed off on a contract to install electronic reporting systems (ERS) to track fish catches in real-time using e-logbooks instead of paper on up to 100 of its fishing vessels.
Awarded to mobile satellite firm Inmarsat and service partner Satlink, Ireland, through its Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA), is the first EU member state to have tendered and signed off on an ERS contract.
“Today the performance of fisheries management organizations and their control of fisheries resources are constantly scrutinized, and yet they are often hamstrung by the latency and inaccuracy of existing paper logbook systems,” said Kyle Hurst, fisheries specialist at Inmarsat.
ERS is a system for recording, reporting, processing, storage and transmission of fisheries data (catch, landing, sales and transshipment), according to EU rules. The key element in ERS is the electronic logbook, used to record and securely transmit the details of fishing operations.
In the EU, all masters of fishing vessels longer than 10 meters are required to keep a logbook of their operations. Up till now, paper logbooks have been used, but from 1 January 2010, EU fishing vessels greater than 24 meters in length will be required by law to electronically record and transmit logbook data on a daily basis. While from 1 July 2011, the same requirement will apply to EU fishing vessels greater than 15 meters in length.
An element in Europe’s move to encourage sustainable fisheries, according to the European Commission, the ERS will “make the process, more efficient, more accurate and less costly. The new system will facilitate cross-checking of data and information. It will also make it easier to identify risks, and will help rationalize control actions at sea and on land.”
Jens Heinsdorf, technical manager at Satlink who led the team, said: “Our solution was the most cost-effective, winning a very competitive and professional bidding war.”
A team consisting of Satlink, Inmarsat, Stratos and Sirius IT won the Irish contract for up to 100 vessels, with a solution based on FleetBroadband 250. It is suggested that more than 10,000 vessels across Europe are expected to be converted to e-logbooks by early 2010.
“FleetBroadband is now the benchmark for broadband internet and standard IP applications at sea,” said Piers Cunningham, director of maritime business at Inmarsat.
