In collaboration with ICV Africa, this project aims to develop an Electronic Monitoring (EM) system to support the albacore tuna pole-and-line fishery observer programme in South Africa. Three vessels were selected to pilot the EM system, allowing CapMarine to test and refine the setup. Each vessel is equipped with two cameras, strategically positioned based on the specific vessel’s layout. Typically, one camera is mounted at the vessel stern and another high on the front mast to maximise coverage of the fishing deck.
Deploying the EM system on tuna pole vessels is particularly advantageous because of the limited space onboard to carry a human observer. Accommodating an onboard observer often requires a crew member to be removed, reducing the crew size, which has a direct impact on fishing effort, as this type of fishing is labour-intensive where crew work in pairs to haul fish manually onto the boat. Given that ICV Africa’s trips typically last only a week or less, using EM as a substitute for human observers can result in reduced deployment logistics costs.
Once the vessels return from sea, the hard drives containing the footage are retrieved and brought to CapMarine’s office, where the data is downloaded and prepared for review. Land-based reviewers (dry observers) then carefully review, annotate, and analyse the footage. Observers review the footage from each trip in batches, dedicating several hours over a few days to thoroughly examine all recorded material. Although further validation of catch accounting and trials with additional cameras to view the surrounding water area are necessary, initial results indicate that EM is a viable alternative to sea-going human observers.
A machine learning algorithm is also being developed to automate footage review, aiming to reduce the need for manual monitoring. The algorithm learns from annotated data, generating queries to improve its accuracy. Preliminary precision statistics indicate upwards of 0.75 accuracy for target species.
The data from the EM system, similar to that of an onboard observer, provides valuable insights into fishing areas, target catch and bycatch statistics, and any encounters with protected or endangered species. These records also support the verification of landing declarations and other vessel documentation.
At present, CapMarine is working exclusively with ICV Africa to develop the tuna pole EM offering, but we expect other pole-and-line fisheries will be interested as the technology becomes more dependable and accessible. This system holds great potential for small-scale South African fisheries, offering independent observation data without compromising the crew capacity on smaller vessels.