The Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and Fisheries of Madeira has launched a pilot project for the deployment of Electronic Monitoring Systems (EMS) in the regional fishing fleet, representing a major step in the modernization and sustainable management of fisheries in Portugal.
For the implementation of this initiative, Madeira has chosen technology provider Satlink, becoming the first Portuguese region to anticipate the 2028 EM requirements included in the European Fisheries Regulation.
Financed under the PRR (Plano de Recuperação e Resiliência), the project includes the installation of Satlink’s EMS on board 10 vessels of the Madeiran fleet. For the deployment, Satlink is working in close collaboration with local partner SOMEQ and the regional authorities, while data review, analysis and reporting are carried out by Satlink’s subsidiary, Digital Observer Services.
The EM systems deployed combine onboard cameras, sensors and positioning technologies to document fishing activity, identify species, estimate catches and georeference operations. Fishing video and operational data are securely transmitted via mobile connectivity and made available for review through Horus, Satlink’s cloud-based electronic monitoring platform, supporting structured analysis, reporting and traceability.
At the same time, crew privacy is safeguarded through automatic face-blurring based on edge computing technology, performed directly on board the vessels. As a result, all video data are transmitted and stored in anonymized form while maintaining full analytical value for fisheries monitoring.
The project supports data collection for fisheries targeting small pelagics, black scabbardfish, tunas and swordfish, including associated by-catches. In this context, it contributes to the PNRD (“Plano Nacional de Recolha de Dados”) and follows scientific and management recommendations from both ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea) and ICCAT (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas).
EMS installations began on 24 November and are being rolled out well ahead of the regulatory deadlines set for 2028, reinforcing Madeira’s commitment to transparency, cooperation with the fishing sector and long-term sustainability.
