Region: Australasia & the Pacific

Analysis of the Costs And Benefits of Electronic Fisheries Information Systems Applied in FFA Countries and Identification of the Legislative, Regulatory and Policy Supporting Requirements

WWF and Forum Fisheries Agency - Project Dates:
July 2015 - March 2016

Description of Project:
Poseidon undertook an analysis of the current developments in the Pacific on electronic tracking (VMS, AIS and SAR), electronic reporting (e-logs, observer aps, offloading and traceability) and electronic monitoring (camera and sensor technology). The work focussed on determining the basic costs and benefits of implementing these electronic information systems by FFA members; assessing existing policy and legislation, and producing a ‘generic’ text/‘check-list’/ framework that can then be referred to assist when updating national fisheries policy and legislation to support ER and EM, including mechanisms to ensure data flow systems are agreed and recognised; documenting potential (and realistic) cost-recovery solutions for ER and EM that could be adopted by FFA member countries (noting that this work may be included/linked to a broader cost-recovery study); providing direct assistance to FFA member countries that are proceeding to update their policy/legislation to support ER and EM; and providing direct assistance on cost-recovery solutions to FFA member countries that are considering ER and EM implementation.