Fisheries economics and trade

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Region:    Australasia & the Pacific

Cost Benefit Analysis of Electronic Monitoring in FFA countries FFA

Forum Fisheries Agency - Project Dates:
April 2021 - June 2021

Description of Project:
The study coverred the following areas:

  1. Evidence of consultation with stakeholder (including countries actively trialing / implementing EM and regional agencies such as PNAO and SPC) to provide lessons learned and perspectives on EM application, data needs and costs
  2. A summary of current EM operations on longline vessels in the WCPFC operational area and established viewing mechanisms;
  3. An analysis of current EM technology systems and technological equipment capital costs, the potential for technological advances (particularly with respect to integrated VMS, ER and EM systems) and potential for competition between service providors to reduce costs;
  4. A detailed analysis of all costs associated with EM including viewing and analysis costs an options taking account of data needs, risk-based approaches (for coverage and analysis rates), vessel coverage options, percentages of viewing, operational logistics and the potential for centralized viewing and analysis hubs;
  5. A comprehensive documentation of the perceived benefits of EM including consideration of the range of data generated through EM and its applications for both MCS and fisheries management as well as flow on benefits such as employment, improved compliance and secure resource rights. Such analysis should include consideration and discussion of the potential benefits arising from wider implementation of EM that captures flow on benefits including from coordinated and standardized implementation of EM across all FFA members and potentially, and the entire WCPO (through WCPFC)
  6. A discussion on the possible development of artificial intelligence and machine learning applications and speed up analysis and reduced costs
  7. A summary of possible options for advancement of EM by FFA members as well as wider WCPFC application.