The roll out of new electronic monitoring equipment has begun for vessels within the Gillnet Hook and Trap (GHAT) and the Eastern and Western Tuna and Billfish fisheries (ETBF and WTBF).
E-monitoring will assist AFMA to ensure the best possible fisheries management by enabling greater insight into Australia’s fishing operations.
New installations have already started for boats in the GHAT with all existing systems being updated to the new high definition systems. Installation of e-monitoring systems will begin for boats within the ETBF and WTBF at the start of 2015.
E-monitoring is a targeted approach to collecting information on fishing activity, which integrates video, sensors and programmable loggers into a powerful data collection tool. This expansion in e-monitoring capabilities will enable AFMA and industry to undertake the most effective and efficient management of Commonwealth fisheries to ensure their sustainability.
AFMA has contracted Archipelago Asia Pacific (AAP), a subsidiary of Archipelago Marine Research, to assist in the design and installation of e-monitoring. Archipelago Asia Pacific and AFMA staff will be conducting port visits to answer any questions you may have about your new unit and to arrange a time to have your unit installed. You will be contacted shortly regarding when port visit will be taking place near you. Archipelago Asia Pacific can be contacted on 02 6162 1192.
For more information on installation time frames please contact your AFMA Fisheries Manager.