The Ministry of Fisheries and Water of the Government of the Canary Islands is using drones in the fishing inspection actions carried out by the General Directorate of Fisheries to control illegal fishing in the Archipelago. The department offered this Tuesday a demonstration of the use of these unmanned aerial vehicles in actions to combat poaching.
During the demonstration, held in Gran Canaria, the Minister of the area, Narvay Quintero, accompanied by the General Director of Fisheries, Orlando Umpiérrez, and the Councilor for the City of the Sea of the City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, José Eduardo Ramínez, explained that so far "the Ministry has used these devices in operations carried out in areas with the greatest suspicion that infractions may be committed." Quintero also specified that the regional department has signed a contract, lasting one year, with an authorized company from the Canary Islands "so that these devices continue to support the inspection action carried out by the Fisheries personnel".
The drones, according to what they have explained from the Ministry, allow carrying out actions that "from land are unfeasible, by allowing access to areas where agents cannot reach because they are especially steep areas, which also translates into greater security for inspection agents". The councilor has indicated that "it is a very useful technology on the coasts of the Archipelago, since it allows reaching areas inaccessible on foot and it is faster to use a drone than to take a boat out of the port to carry out these controls; that is why these tools will greatly facilitate the work of inspectors to end illegal fishing and guarantee sustainable fishing".
Irrefutable proof of the infraction committed
The vehicle in question is controlled by an authorized operator guided by an inspector, who tells him which areas to fly over and who can follow in real time, through a screen, the image-photo or video- that the device is capturing from the air at the time. This image is also recorded, "which allows it to be stored and viewed later, being very useful as irrefutable proof of the infraction committed and also a guarantee for the inspector and the inspected".
According to the data provided by the Ministry, in 2016 a total of 1,148 inspections were carried out in fishing matters in the Archipelago. The Fisheries Inspection Service is made up of 14 agents, six boats and 14 vehicles. In the coming months, according to the Ministry, 12 more inspectors will be added, after the Government of the Canary Islands approved the call for positions to reinforce the personnel that carries out inspection work in fishing matters "considering it a strategic sector".
The objective of the Ministry, according to what they have explained, "is to train the inspection agents in the handling of these unmanned vehicles so that they can obtain the corresponding authorization from the State Air Safety Agency (AESA) to fly these devices".
Other collaboration actions
With the purpose of increasing the fight against poaching in the ports that are the responsibility of the autonomous and state governments, the councilor has explained that the department he directs "has held meetings with those responsible for port facilities to share information and carry out joint actions to optimize the use of resources".
In this sense, the Ministry has reported that these collaboration protocols come in addition to the one reached with the Canarian Police and the one it is working on with the Civil Guard in order to work together to intensify fishing inspection work "without this implying an increase in spending". These actions "respond to the requests made from the professional fishing sector to avoid intrusion in this activity and, consequently, unfair competition caused by illegal fishing".
On the other hand, they have also indicated that "they are working on the Information System for the management of fishing inspections of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands (Sipec)". It is a "computer application that will carry out a risk analysis to reinforce the inspection in the areas of greatest non-compliance with fishing regulations". In addition, "the possible presentation of complaints from individuals is also being enabled, by telematic means, that is, online using the Electronic Headquarters of the Government of the Canary Islands".
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