The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) has amended the list of approved Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) unit types for use on Commonwealth nominated fishing vessels.
Changes have been made to the approved list of VMS units to ensure they remain current and in line with the technology available in the market.
New Approved Unit Types
On 25 October 2021 AFMA added two new unit types to the list of approved units;
These two new units are approved for use in Commonwealth managed fisheries excluding fishing vessels operating on the high seas and/or that are part of a Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (RFMO) agreement.
“Grandfathered” units
In December 2020 AFMA removed (“Grandfathered”) the following VMS units:
- Thrane & Thrane – TT6140 and TT6150
- Japan Radio Company (JRC) – JUE 95VM
- Furuno – Felcom 16 and Felcom 19
Reminder: If you currently have a ‘grandfathered’ Inmarsat C VMS unit installed and operating on a Commonwealth nominated vessel, you may continue to use them in accordance with AFMA’s .
When the VMS unit requires replacing, or should you wish to nominate a new boat to a Commonwealth concession, you will not be able to use or fit these units (including transferring second hand units between boats) and will need to purchase/fit one of the AFMA approved units.
Approved Units
The units currently available for use on Commonwealth nominated vessels;
TYPE | MODEL NAME | MODEL NUMBER | SOFTWARE VERSION | Approved Fisheries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
MTU | Skywave IDP | IDP-690 | All Commonwealth Managed Fisheries | |
MTU | Skywave IDP | ST6100 | All Commonwealth Managed Fisheries | |
MTU | Skywave IDP | ST9100 | All Commonwealth Managed Fisheries EXCLUDING: Eastern Tuna & Billfish, Western Tuna & Billfish, Small Pelagic, Heard & McDonald Islands, Macquarie Island Toothfish & South Tasman Rise Fisheries | |
MTU | CLS Triton Advanced | Triton Advanced | Dome: 10.02.39 or later Junction Box: 1.0.2.04 or later Configuration: CLS TRITON ADV+FFA Config | All Commonwealth Managed Fisheries |
MTU | Iridium Edge Solar | EDGESOLAR9640 | All Commonwealth Managed Fisheries EXCLUDING: Eastern Tuna & Billfish, Western Tuna & Billfish, Small Pelagic, Heard & McDonald Islands, Macquarie Island Toothfish & South Tasman Rise Fisheries |
Contact your supplier
Operators looking to purchase new, or needing replacement, units should speak with their preferred supplier. Operators fishing in State/Territory Jurisdictions should also confirm with the respective fishing authority about their VMS requirements.
