The Government initiative represents a total investment of €132,000.
Secretaria Regional de Agricultura e Pesca da Madeira
The Spanish technology company Satlink will be responsible for digitally monitoring Madeira's fishing fleet, with the support of the local company SOMEQ, according to the Regional Secretariat of Agriculture and Fisheries of the Portuguese region.
The project to install remote electronic monitoring systems on commercial fleet vessels, being implemented by the Secretariat through the Regional Directorate of Fisheries, represents a total investment of €132,000.
The Satlink system integrates digital cameras and sensors capable of recording fishing activities, identifying and measuring species, and precisely locating each operation. In addition, it allows for the elaboration of detailed reports on small pelagic fisheries.
In this way, the government strengthens its National Fisheries Data Collection Plan (PNRD), and the Regional Directorate of Fisheries will be able to respond more effectively to national and European reporting obligations.
"With this project, the Region once again demonstrates its commitment to the protection and study of marine resources. The installation of these electronic monitoring systems reinforces our commitment to responsible management, ensuring transparency, scientific rigor, and full compliance with European regulations," expressed the Regional Secretary of Agriculture and Fisheries, Nuno Maciel.
The Spanish company and its services have already been validated and recognized by the European Union. Moreover, the Balearic Islands (Spain) have renewed their contract with Satlink to continue using its monitoring and localization systems, as has the Spanish shipping company Trasmed, which specializes in the ferry and maritime transport sector.
Finally, Satlink acquired in October nke Group, a French company with over 40 years of experience in designing instruments for measuring and monitoring water quality in oceans and freshwater, as well as for navigation.
This specific project involves the installation of the system on 10 vessels (six from Câmara de Lobos and four from Caniçal): four dedicated to black scabbardfish, four to tuna fishing, one to small pelagics, and one to whitefish.
In this way, Madeira, a pioneer in Portugal, is anticipating the requirement scheduled for 2028 for vessels over 18 meters in length.
