Satlink Will Continue Monitoring the Balearic Artisanal Fishing Fleet with its 'Green Boxes'

The Government of the Balearic Islands has awarded the Spanish technology company Satlink a new contract to continue the implementation and maintenance of its monitoring and localization systems (VMS) across its entire artisanal fishing fleet, consisting of 260 vessels.

Satlink, which specializes in satellite solutions for the management and optimization of fishing activities, was initially chosen in 2021 to install these devices, also known as 'green boxes,' on the entire artisanal fleet. With this new contract awarded to Satlink, the Balearics aim to provide these vessels with the most advanced fishery management mechanisms currently available to ensure the transparent, sustainable, and responsible origin of their catches. The contract, which lasts for four years, includes comprehensive maintenance services for both the devices and the platform from which the Directorate General of Fisheries of the Government of the Balearic Islands manages the tracking information sent from the fishing vessels, and also covers the supply of 64 additional units for equipment replacement and the incorporation of new vessels.

The Satlink device allows for the recording of the ship's identification data, as well as its position, course, and navigation speed, and transmits them to the fishery management platform at programmable intervals—from one minute. Its compact size facilitates installation on small and medium-sized vessels, and the mounting of a solar panel on the deck provides an uninterrupted power supply to the green box.

The awarding of this contract, like that of 2021, is part of the development of the decree regulating the System of Localization and Monitoring of Fishing Vessels in the Balearic Islands (Slsepib), approved in February 2019. At that time, the Balearics became the second autonomous community, after Andalusia, to supplement the activity registration system of the fishing vessels from the General Secretariat of Fisheries of the MAPA, known as the 'blue box,' which is mandatory for vessels of a length equal to or greater than 12 meters, with its own autonomous management system applied to its entire fleet called the 'green box.' Currently, Satlink also supplies the Andalusian Government with its green boxes for this purpose.

Antoni M. Grau, the Director General of Fisheries of the Government of the Balearic Islands, has stated that the green boxes have represented a significant technological leap in managing the activity of the artisanal fishing fleet, facilitating adaptive, sustainable fishing and the involvement of the sector. Meanwhile, Pedro Vigil, the Commercial Director of Satlink, expressed satisfaction that "the Balearic Government has renewed its confidence in our technology and service to continue advancing in the management of its fishery and thus have better data for decision-making, increased traceability, monitoring of fishing activity, and management of fishing effort."