ISSF position statements raise issues and recommendations for Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) to consider in their policymaking discussions and decisions.

Our advocacy team prepares and circulates our statements in advance of major tuna RFMO meetings. Some statements are available in several languages, depending on RFMO region. If you would like to request an older version of a statement, write to us at [email protected].

ISSF 2022-06: RFMO Vessel Monitoring Systems: A Comparative Analysis to Identify Best Practices*

Date Added: March 15, 2022
Authors: Holly Koehler
Downloaded: 173 times
Tags: Best Practices, CCSBT, IATTC, ICCAT, IOTC, RFMOs, Vessel Monitoring System, WCPFC
Language: English
Featured: False
Report Type: Technical Report

Description

Note: The information in this report is current for 2023. The RFMOs have not made changes to vessel monitoring system requirements since the report was published in 2022.

Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) for highly migratory species, straddling stocks and discrete high-seas stocks, have established either centralized RFMO satellite vessel monitoring systems (VMS) for the high seas of their areas of competence or prescribed requirements for national VMS systems to apply to vessels that operate in the RFMO areas of competence.

This Technical Report compares the satellite vessel monitoring systems (VMS) that are in place in regional fisheries management organizations (RFMO), or requirements for national VMS systems for vessels that operate in RFMO convention areas, and identifies a set of Best Practices that could be used by States and RFMOs in the development or strengthening of national, regional or sub-regional VMS programs for fishing vessels. 

See also our RFMO Best Practices Snapshot on vessel monitoring systems.