Application of a vessel monitoring system to advance sustainable fisheries management—Benefits received in Taiwan

Vessel monitoring systems (VMS) are considered important instruments for fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) to reverse the current depressed state of the world’s fisheries, and have been mandated worldwide by fishery management agencies. The essential function of the system is to provide near-real time vessel position; the potential applications could, however, be more than that. This study explores the additional benefits, with practical examples, that Taiwan has received from implementing the system: in improving the quantity and quality of logbooks recovered, obtaining access to fishery-independent fishing effort estimates and prompt catch/effort reporting, enabling the possibility of regional management and understanding of both fleet dynamics and vessel behavior, and increasing efficiency of vessel safety protection. For other distant-water fishing nations, Taiwan’s experiences serve to demonstrate how the application of VMS technology can advance sustainable fisheries management.