Published: August 2, 2023

By: Eloy Aroni

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Artisonal, in collaboration with the National Artisanal Fishing Society (SONAPESCAL), carried out the pilot project to test the MT5000-Orbcomm satellite equipment in the deep-sea artisanal fleet (squid and mahi-mahi) between April and July 2023. A satellite device with the world's first trimodal AIS system, designed specifically for artisanal and small-scale fleets.

The equipment was installed on nine vessels distributed in the ports of Paita, Yacila, Parachique, and Pucusana, with a transmission rate of less than 30 minutes. The results recorded 15 fishing trips (150 positions per day)   up to 200 nautical miles from the coast. The project demonstrated that the MT5000 satellite equipment (Type: AIS-Trimodal) fulfilled the requirements of the Peruvian government's vessel monitoring systems (VMS) for artisanal vessels in terms of numbers of broadcasted, emergency button, internal battery, mobile application, and costs adjusted to the economy of the artisanal fisherman.

The project concluded that, when implementing a monitoring system for artisanal fleets, the Peruvian government must prioritize crew safety over inspection, particularly in artisanal fisheries such as squid and mahi-mahi, which must travel beyond 200 nautical miles. Consequently, the duality of the system Integrated AIS-Trimodal MT5000 satellite equipment functions as a vessel monitoring system (VMS) and a collision prevention system on high seas (AIS). Therefore, the Peruvian government can provide an additional alternative of satellite equipment adapted to Peru's artisanal fleets' economic and fishing conditions.