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How a vessel monitoring system works

A Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) consists of a tracking unit on a vessel, an Automatic Location Communicator (ALC), the transmission medium – Inmarsat C satellite and the base station.

In AFMA’s VMS, ALC’s with a built-in Global Positioning System (GPS) are fitted to each vessel and regularly transmit information on vessel position, course and speed through an Inmarsat communications satellite to a land earth station. This information is sent by secure internet connection to a database at AFMA.

We can request position reports from vessels at any time as required as well as send messages directly to boats when required.

Officers at AFMA view vessel locations using Geographical Information System software. Maps and other spatial references such as closed areas can be displayed using the software.  

AFMA staff are able to monitor fishing activity of individual boats by creating tracks between poll points which appear on the GIS workspace as the information enters AFMA.

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