Britain’s environment department is to hold consultations with its fishing industry in June over remote electronic monitoring (REM) in vessels over 10 metres in length.
The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) say it wants to “learn lessons as we go” and work in “open collaboration” with the British industry.
It has described REM as “the clear next step for evidence-based fisheries management” but has acknowledged it is a “big step”.
It has identified priority fisheries and says there are no plans for REM on vessels under 10 metres at this stage.
It has identified challenges, including issues around data ownership, privacy, storage, and ensuring remote monitoring is focused on delivering for “science” and for the fishing industry.
In Ireland, a pilot project to test REM technology has been initiated by the SFPA as part of a wider EU north-western waters initiative.
However, a search for volunteers has attracted little enthusiasm, with industry organisations seeking more consultation.
The SFPA said that consultation on REM was a matter for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
REM allows for the remote monitoring of fishing vessels, providing “valuable information on fishing activity and compliance with regulatory requirements, including the landing obligation”, the SFPA has explained.
“The legislative introduction of REM in fisheries control at European level is nearing certainty, having passed through the initial consultative stage, through the European Parliament and back for final consultations,” its executive chair Paschal Hayes has said.