Fiji explores new technology for safer fisheries

[Photo: Ministry of Fisheries/FACEBOOK PAGE]

Fiji is exploring new technology to strengthen coastal resource management and improve maritime safety.

The Ministry of Fisheries is partnering with the United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response, UN-SPIDER, under the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs.

The pilot centres on the Triton’s Spear or TS3, a vessel monitoring system developed by a Japanese company Ocean Solution Technology with support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

The system is designed for small-scale coastal fleets and operates using solar power without external wiring.

It can provide GPS location updates every 30 seconds, compared to the hourly updates of standard vessel monitoring systems.

The partnership aims to combine remote sensing and space-based technology to support safer and more sustainable fisheries across Fiji and the wider Pacific.