FISHING BOATS TRACKING WITH IP67 RATING GPS DEVICES

INTRO

Global seafood consumption has more than doubled in the last 50 years, along with overfishing, bottom trawling, the use of explosives, and a wide range of illegal and/or unauthorised fishing. Surely, preserving aquaculture for current and future generations is essential. This has led to the introduction of many fishing restrictions and regulations worldwide but they must be monitored, and Teltonika Telematics can help with that.

CHALLENGE

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, trade and seafood consumption reached an all-time record in 2018 and together with it illegal, unreported, and unregulated (aka IUU) fishing occurred which costs around $10 - 23 billion of loss for the economy each year. Sadly, IUU is the challenge facing both the aquaculture and fishing industries.

To combat IUU fishing, countries such as the Philippines have made the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) mandatory from the year 2022 under the Philippine Fisheries Code. At the same time, the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) controls and monitors fishing activities, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries has introduced the Sustainable Fisheries Strategy and many other measures to regulate fishing vessels.

All these rules affect not only large commercial fishing vessels but also small ones and motorboats. According to research conducted by General Fisheries Commission in 2020, 83% of all so-called small-scale fishing vessels in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea are still not equipped with location tracking devices. At the same time, all these vessels (over 87,600 of them) generate more than $3 billion in revenue each year, and this figure is growing. Nevertheless, three-quarters of Mediterranean and Black Sea stocks are being fished beyond sustainable limits. That said, fishery management and monitoring of fishing vessels and motorboats is an urgent priority.

The European Commission proposed a reform of the EU Fisheries Control Regulation in 2018, which requires that all fishing vessels including fishing boats should have a tracking system. At the moment, only large vessels are required to use satellite-based tracking systems and small-scale vessels and boats can carry a mobile device linked to an electronic navigation chart. At the same time, there is a threat that mobile devices will be lost or the battery will discharge. Besides, if more than one person is using the boat, all mobile devices should also be connected. As stated in the research of the EU Fisheries Control Coalition, the satellite-based tracking system is more convenient and easier. As a result, it is expected that it will be mandatory for small-scale vessels and boats in the future.

In addition, the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean has defined Geographical Subareas (aka GSAs) which should be used to monitor the tracking of vessels. Because of that, the new system has reduced overfishing by more than 10%, which shows that it works. Established borders are a key feature of controlling IUU fishing activities. Local monitoring is, therefore, the main attribute here that need to be addressed and Teltonika Telematics can contribute to solving the challenge.

SOLUTION

Since it is expected to shut down both 2G and 3G networks in several years perspective, we choose the FMC230 model - a waterproof real-time tracking terminal with LTE Cat 1 connectivity and 2G fallback which is a preferred option for water transport monitoring. The latest expansion of the IP67 certified GPS trackers brings unquestionable value for small-scale fishing vessels and motorboats tracking, including their location.

According to key numbers of the Mediterranean Posidonia Network, the highest density of fishing boat tracks is noticeable on seaboards. What is more, research of Vodafone maritime mobility showed that most vessels spend around 60% of their operating time in areas with 4G/LTE connectivity.

Given this, FMC230 is a more appropriate choice because of the LTE Cat 1 technology support. The Coverage Analysis indicated that this technology has deep coverage and greater radio signal penetration where minimum latency and better mobility are required, which is essential for tracking fishing boats. Even more, the LTE Cat 1 connectivity can be reachable even within 53 nautical miles under perfect conditions. Overall, it depends on several factors such as the type of terrestrial antennas, their power and height, weather, landscape, environmental conditions, etc.

Even if the connection is lost, the model can store the data of a location in its 128 MB Flash memory (or up to 422 400 records) and send it to a server at the time the connection is available again. What is more, FMC230 is implemented with Static Navigation mode by which the challenge related to the vessel location can be met. This functionality filters out track jumps when the object is stationary. If the static navigation filter is disabled, it will apply no changes to GPS data. This feature lowers the possibility of inaccurate location detection and ensures protection from misunderstandings of the IUU fishing.

Secondly, the certified IP67-rated casing ensures reliable protection against water that is crucial for the water transport industry including small-scale fishing vessel tracking. The brand new casing protects the device from humidity and immersion in water which leads to longevity with no corrosion. According to the study by the U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) ship corrosion is a major hazard for the industry which cost $2.7 billion annually, as a result, prevention of it is essential for cost reduction.

To save even more valuable resources, the casing of the FMC230 also ensures ease of use. The implementation of an innovative two-phase closing saves the time of integration because no additional tools are needed to open or close it. Moreover, the model can be ordered as a 'ready-to-use' device helping to avoid pricey errors, keep tedious and time-consuming setup and installation routines to a minimum.

Going further, the waterproof GPS tracker needs to be connected via a cable to a power supply source - a vessel or motorboat battery. There are two types of them to choose from – Standard and U-type, each specially designed for this purpose, 100% waterproof and made to order. The two cable versions extend the installation possibilities, as the FMC230 can be mounted anywhere in-cabin or outdoors. Please note, the U-type cable is recommended for simpler installation and basic GPS tracking.

Thanks to usage scenarios functionality, such as GSM signal jamming detection, unplug detection, auto geofence and immobilizer scenarios, Teltonika GPS devices allow to initiate preventive actions against valuable asset thefts by triggering an alarm system, instant notifications, blocking starter and so on. To finish, their firmware updates and configuration changes can be made remotely using the FOTA WEB tool - a powerful software solution helping to manage Teltonika vehicle GPS trackers with absolute efficiency.

TOPOLOGY

BENEFITS

• Reliable tracking in demanding climatic environments - thanks to its IP67-rated casing and LTE Cat 1 connectivity combo, the FMC230 can be successfully utilised in the fishing industry, monsoon regions, and humid subtropical or oceanic climates, as it is waterproof and protected against temporary immersion in water.
• Innovative and certified click-type casing ensures both reliable protection and ease of use at the same time, as it needs no additional tools to open and/or close it.
• Static Navigation mode ensures accurate location tracking and helps to avoid misunderstandings related to IUU fishing, which is important when a fishing vessel or motorboat is not stationary and drifting on waves.
• Diverse FMC230 model mounting options – to suit a fishing fleet needs, different types of cables can be chosen and connected to the GPS tracker if required.
• Helps protect fishing fleets - thanks to their wide range of usage scenarios, Teltonika GPS devices enable preventive action against the theft of valuable assets such as motorboats and vessels.
• Ordering alternative for 'ready-to-use' GPS trackers for various product custom branding options, smarter time and resources management for large scale and long-term telematics projects.

WHY TELTONIKA?

To successfully resolve small-scale vessels and motorboats tracking and monitoring related challenges in the fishing industry, we offer a unique choice from Teltonika - the new FMx2 series vehicle GPS tracker FMC230 with LTE Cat 1 connectivity and innovative waterproof click type IP67-rated casing helping to withstand powers of nature and effectively manage this type of fleets.

We are the right place to get all you need to succeed - the most abundant variety of top-quality certified GPS trackers, accessories, and solutions for any use case imaginable in vehicle telematics. A strong and growing team of over 2,000 professionals handles research and development tasks, engineering, unquestionable product quality, modern design and, of course, top-rated customer support. We are proud that our GPS devices are used and known around the world and trusted by our business partners and customers.