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Vessel Tracking Review - Engagement Portal

Project overview

Vessel Tracking - commercial vessels

The Vessel tracking decision post implementation impact analysis statement is now complete.

Please note: The vessel tracking post implementation impact analysis statement (PI-IAS) was formerly referred to as the vessel tracking post-implementation review.

Download the full report and summary of the vessel tracking PI-IAS from the document library on this page.

Summary of final recommendations

The PI-IAS considers the impacts of the vessel tracking regulation since it was introduced and any recommendations for the regulation looking forward. The purpose of the PI-IAS is to assess the impacts (both positive and negative), effectiveness and continued relevance of the vessel tracking regulation, and consider any unintended consequences since its implementation.

The review concluded that the overall net benefit supports the continuation of the vessel tracking regulation and the original identified benefits of vessel tracking (in particular, enhancing compliance capabilities) have been realised.

The final recommendations stated in the PI-IAS are as follows:

  1. Retain the vessel tracking regulation.
  2. Legislation amendment to include a head of power to implement an ongoing exemption process to allow fishers to fish in the event of a malfunctioning unit or other circumstances as deemed appropriate by the Chief Executive, for example a unit is unavailable.
  3. Continue to perform market scanning of suitable units to meet the requirements of Queensland fisheries factoring technology availability and cost.
  4. Continue to implement and maintain an Information Security Management System (ISMS) based on the international standard ISO27001, including a six-monthly risk assessment and monitoring of existing data security controls in the vessel tracking system.

The department has committed to implementing these recommendations.

The recommendations and learnings from the vessel tracking decision PI-IAS will be valuable when considering independent data validation (IDV) implementation.

For a more comprehensive understanding of the PI-IAS process, please refer to the Queensland Government guide to better regulations policy.

The Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has been using vessel tracking since 1996 as part of ongoing management of several fisheries within Queensland, including the east coast trawl fleet, sea cucumber (beche-de-mer) fishery and some net fisheries. An action under the Queensland Sustainable Fisheries Strategy: 2017–2027, vessel tracking was rolled out more broadly to all major commercial fisheries during 2019 and 2020. Vessel tracking technology helps enhance compliance capabilities, provide data for more informed and responsive management, and ensure the sustainability of Queensland’s fisheries – which will benefit the marine resources that many operators and regional communities depend upon.

DPI committed to commissioning a regulatory post implementation impact analysis statement (PI-IAS), formerly referred to as the post-implementation review, of vessel tracking following the recommendations of the State Development, Natural Resources and Agricultural Industry Development Committee’s examination of the Fisheries (Sustainable Fisheries Strategy) Amendment Bill 2018. The purpose of a regulatory PI-IAS is to assess the impacts, effectiveness and continued relevance of the vessel tracking regulation in accordance with The Queensland Government guide to better regulations policy.

Since implementation, industry has raised several issues, primarily relating to delays in the delivery of vessel tracking units, refunds and warranty claims, as well as concerns about installation costs, safety, data security and suitability and installation of units. Throughout the implementation of vessel tracking, these issues were investigated and have been, or are being, progressively addressed. Following numerous complaints from commercial fishers in 2019, an investigation into the implementation and administration of vessel tracking in Queensland was undertaken by the Queensland Ombudsman. In response to this review, the department committed to expanding the planned regulatory PI-IAS to address the Ombudsman’s preliminary observations.

A vessel tracking working group comprising commercial fishing industry representatives and the DPI senior leadership team was established and met six times in 2021 to discuss vessel tracking issues and provide feedback as part of the review.

Key documents, including a copy of the Queensland Ombudsman's preliminary observations and proposed actions, the vessel tracking consultation PIR report and other relevant information is available in the document library on the right. There is also a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and links to useful resources.

The PI-IAS was completed in November 2023.

Document library

FAQS

Vessel tracking is a satellite surveillance system that tracks and monitors the locations and movement of commercial fishing boats. Vessel tracking units send position reports that include time, date and location.

Vessel tracking helps the department carry out real-time monitoring of the commercial fishing fleet for management and compliance purposes. Data from vessel tracking is used to:

  • monitor quota in near real time (e.g. deducting fishing days from individual’s quota)
  • monitor compliance with area and seasonal closures (including marine park zones)
  • provide intelligence and evidence for investigations
  • help validate logbook data on where and when fishing occurred
  • provide fishing effort data that is used in stock assessments to estimate the biomass of a fish stock
  • help inform fishery management changes that may be needed.

Vessel tracking is required on all commercial fishing boats (primary and tender boats) in the major commercial fisheries including net, line, crab, trawl and harvest (aquarium fish, sea cucumber (beche-de-mer), coral, trochus, crayfish and rock lobster) fisheries.

The department has been using vessel tracking since 1996 as part of ongoing management of several fisheries within Queensland, including the east coast trawl fleet and sea cucumber (beche-de-mer) as well as some net fisheries. The rollout of vessel tracking to the remaining net, line, crab, harvest and trawl fisheries was staged across 2019 and 2020.

Newer vessel tracking units were approved in 2018 following a general market scan, assessment of units against the department’s requirements and trialling on commercial fishing boats. The units were approved on the basis that they meet the specifications set out by the department, be successfully trialled and present a low to medium risk level for the fishery.

Commercial fishers are required to purchase approved vessel tracking units associated with an approved polling rate and data plan for their fishery. The units are required to be installed in accordance with the department’s Vessel Tracking Installation and Maintenance Standard and registered on FishNet Secure. Confirmation of vessel tracking units polling must be received by commercial fishers prior to commencing a commercial fishing trip.

A PI-IAS is a review conducted to assess the impacts, effectiveness and continued relevance of regulations that have been recently made and are in force. Undertaking a PI-IAS requires an agency to focus on:

  • whether a problem (requiring regulation) still exists
  • the actual (rather than expected) impacts of a proposal
  • whether there were any unintended consequences from the regulation’s implementation
  • whether the regulation should continue, including whether any amendments should be made.

No. During the vessel tracking review process, the Queensland Government Guide to Better Regulation policy was updated, which led to the change from PIR to PI-IAS.

 

The PIR is in line with the 2019 Queensland Government guide to better regulations policy.

 

The PI-IAS is in line with the 2023 Queensland government guide to better regulations policy.

 

The vessel tracking working group was established to provide operational advice and recommendations to support the review undertaken by the department on the management, implementation and administration of vessel tracking across commercial fisheries.

Members of the working group were appointed for a 2-year period by the department following an expression-of-interest process during 2021. 

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Useful resources

Contact us

For further information about the vessel tracking review, contact the department on 13 25 23 or email VTEngagement@daf.qld.gov.au.