The Indian Ocean Commission (COI) has chosen CLS to set up two fishing surveillance centers, one in Madagascar and the other in Mauritius
Fishing is an essential activity for the development of the territories covered by the COI, which groups France (with Reunion Island), the Union of the Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius and the Seychelles. To improve the management of its marine resources, the COI has asked CLS to set up a satellite-based fishery management system. Under the terms of this contract, CLS will be installing a regional fishing surveillance centre at COI headquarters in Mauritius, which will enable local authorities in the sub-region to monitor the activities of about 1000 boats licensed for fishing. The contract also includes the upgrading of the National Centre in Madagascar.
Whereas the maritime fishing sector of the COI was traditionally small-scale, it has developed over the last 20 years into an important economic sector: the number of jobs has doubled, activities such as processing and exporting have been created and fishing now accounts for the second biggest export sector after agricultural production such as sugar cane farming on Reunion Island. However, the fishing industry is fragile as its resources are under heavy pressure.
In order to protect marine resources and fisheries which rely on them, the commission is relying on satellite technology and CLS, which will be setting up a regional information system for permanent communication of fishing ship positions (VMS – Vessel Monitoring System). CLS has also been called upon in this region for the detection of illegal fishing by means of satellite radar. Given the vast maritime territory covered by the COI, only satellite technology is capable of providing an all-inclusive view of off-shore fishing activities in real time.
The regional Information System will consist of a regional center for fishing surveillance which will receive real-time positions of fishing vessels operating in the exclusive economic zones of the COI. Since 2000 CLS has been working to protect marine resources in the Indian Ocean. The Toulouse-based company has already set up a system to combat illegal fishing in the southern hemisphere, on behalf of CROSSRU. The system has proven its effectiveness as it has eradicated illegal fishing around the Kerguelen, Heard and McDonald Islands. The system will soon be extended to cover all COI territory using a SEAS-OI satellite radar imagery receiving station, installed by CLS on Reunion Island in 2010 as well as another station installed in Bali. These two stations will provide real-time access to data in these exclusive economic zones.
