Satellite tracking devices were originally installed on EU fishing vessels to control their compliance with management measures, such as closed areas and seasons but the data is now being used to improve the spatial resolution of fishing effort records.
Dr Francois Bastardie of the Technical University of Denmark and his co-workers have combined satellite-based vessel monitoring system (VMS) data with declared catch from logbooks with 80 percent consistency.
Based on an evaluation of the Danish Skagerrak-Kattegat fisheries between 2005 and 2008, the researchers have shown that they can account for many sources of error to provide stock-specific data at a spatial resolution of 5 x 5 nautical miles or less based on VMS ping intervals of 30 minutes.
Passive gear presents problems because net release and recapture points cannot be distinguished in the VMS data but the researchers hope their methodology will facilitate the application of more effective spatial management strategies.
Wendy Laursen
