Sweden partners with Satlink on trial project of digital monitoring of vessels

The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (SwAM), headquartered in Sweden, has partnered with Madrid, Spain-based satellite telecommunications company Satlink for vessel monitoring.

Together, the SwAM and Satlink will  work on a trial project that could eventually monitor and manage the Scandinavian fishing fleet, utilizing electronic monitoring (EM) systems for vessels. The goal is to improve SwAM's utilization of technology applied to operational fisheries by developing procedures and methods using the technology.

In a press release, Satlink said the project will “answer questions about how future fisheries control could work once EM has been fully introduced and how work using EM (technology, IT services, workflow etc.) needs to function in order to provide the desired benefits in terms of compliance with the landing obligation. EM could also be a way for the fishing industry to demonstrate to the world at large how fishing is conducted.”

Satlink's vessel monitoring system has already been taken up in other countries. The company's technology was approved by the U.K. Marine Management Organization in April 2022, allowing it to sell its devices to the U.K. market.  

The project will design and implement Satlink’s electronic monitoring solution, SeaTube, on two trawlers. Both vessels will be equipped with two cameras and hydraulic and proximity sensors to record fishing activity. The devices will transmit live information recorded by the sensors and cameras to SwAM. The system includes an advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) system blurring the fishermen’s faces to ensure privacy. Satlink will also be applying its edge computing systems to the new monitoring devices. 

Throughout the trial, SwAM said, it will consult the recommendations of varying international regulatory bodies. The goal is to use the new technology to improve fisheries management and ensure transparent and accountable practices.

Photo courtesy of SwAM