How is the Welsh Inshore Vessel Monitoring System being utilised to track the health of fisheries in Welsh waters?
In 2022, Wales led the UK in introducing an Inshore Vessel Monitoring System (iVMS) for under 12m vessels. This complimented the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) requirements already in place for over 12m vessels, providing full coverage of all vessels, including UK and third country vessels, fishing in Welsh waters.
The system transmits information, including the geographical position, date, time, speed and course of the fishing vessel, to the Welsh Fishing Authority. Having VMS/iVMS on all commercial fishing vessels operating in our waters provides a fuller picture and greater insight into fishing vessel activity. This helps to gain a better understanding of the scale, location and seasonality of fishing activity and aid sustainable fisheries management.
Fishing vessel activity data obtained from the system is being used to inform stock assessment, policy development and management of a range of fisheries in the Welsh Zone.