Seven state and Northern Territory fisheries management agencies have been offered grants to boost the use of electronic and vessel monitoring systems on commercial fishing vessels transiting or operating in Australian Marine Parks.

The $5.5 million Electronic and Vessel Monitoring Systems Assistance Program has been offered to assist the commercial fishing industry’s uptake of electronic and vessel monitoring technology and enhance sustainable marine management.

The Program will benefit the fishing industry by helping fishers comply with marine park rules, saving money for fishers and the Australian Government. It will also provide greater certainty to the wider community that fishers are operating sustainably.

Adopting these technologies reinforces community confidence that Australia’s commercial fishing industries continue to adopt world’s best practice while operating at the highest possible standards in our marine parks.

Projects are scheduled to begin in May 2022 and will run to June 2024.