Electronic Monitoring Programs Can Improve Fisheries Oversight

To ensure that fisheries are sustainable, managers need accurate data on catch and vessel activity. But with thousands of vessels operating on the high seas, beyond the reach and view of authorities, gathering and reviewing data can be difficult. Electronic monitoring (EM) programs offer regional fisheries management organizations—the multinational groups responsible for overseeing commercial fishing in 95% of the world’s ocean—an efficient, cost-effective way to increase oversight. Well-designed EM programs lead to better data and stronger fisheries governance, improving outcomes for both fish and fishers.