In the last 20 years, the global fishing industry has become a significant economic sector in terms of employment and activity. It is nevertheless a fragile sector, as fish resources are under considerable pressure.
In order to protect marine resources and the fisheries that depend on them, CLS has been developing tools for nearly 30 years, based on satellite systems capable of covering very large maritime areas. Thanks to satellites, it is possible to monitor huge areas and quickly detect abnormal activities that may require inspection.
The vessel monitoring system (VMS)
For almost three decades, CLS has helped more than 60 countries set up vessel monitoring systems (VMSs) for monitoring their industrial fishing fleets. CLS was thus among the first companies to develop sea-proof beacons capable of operating in very hostile environments (in Russian waters, the Pacific, around the North Pole, etc.), on all the seas of the globe, thanks to the system’s global coverage (including the polar regions covered by the Argos constellation).
VMS is today the system the used most widely by coastal states to manage their fishing fleets, and is also the most efficient way of fighting illegal fishing effectively. CLS transmitters are thus carried on more than 15,000 fishing vessels, guaranteeing complete data confidentiality, a tamper-proof system (thanks to the dual-Doppler positioning system) and unmatched longevity in the marine environment.
Remote sensing by satellite radar
As the exclusive operator of Argos, CLS is the only company capable of combining the tracking of ships by VMS, the monitoring of the oceans by satellite and radar remote sensing. The radar detection reports issued by the Vigisat team enable users to detect and locate boats in defined areas. By integrating these data with other sources of information (VMS, AIS, Satellite AIS, etc.) with which the vessels are equipped, it is possible to identify any suspicious behaviour by a vessel and to transmit the information to the appropriate Fishing Monitoring Centre (FMC) in real time. Satellite services continue to be the safest and most effective means for combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities.
Regional cooperation
Cooperation between countries not only enables them to pool means and costs but also, by using the same system, to benefit from seamless interoperability and global coverage. CLS is the only company able to offer control, monitoring and surveillance solutions, including through the provision of regional surveillance centres (e.g. the Regional VMS of the Indian Ocean Commission while integrating the capabilities of remote sensing by satellite radar (detection reports of IUU activities).
