Internet Pêche Bas Coût Developing fishing using the internet

The idea for this project arose from the need observed among future users – skipper-owners of boats belonging to the fishing organisation Pesca-Cornouaille – to ensure the economic stability of their activity. In terms of catch management, this means promoting their fishing produce more effectively. The economic solution is to sell quickly and as efficiently as possible on the ultra-fresh fish market by entering the food distribution chain from the fishing ground itself. The technical solution is to ensure on-board internet communications.

But while satellite links are affordable for a tuna seiner, they are prohibitively expensive for vessels of less than 25 metres in length. Those in the industry therefore asked the technology cluster, the Technopôle de Quimper Cornouaille, to find suitable partners from industry and science to perfect low-cost internet equipment. This development will enable services to be created which are adapted to the needs of fishermen, both commercially and security-wise, providing links with weather forecasting services, harbours, ship owners and families on shore.

Three SMEs and 4 research centres have begun studying a system which will ultimately be of interest to coastal fishing fleets comprising small vessels around the world. During an experimental phase, Internet Pêche will use radio frequencies available in the fishing areas operated by small-scale boats in a zone 150 to 200 nautical miles off the Atlantic coast of Cornouaille in Brittany, and subsequently off Spain and Northern Ireland.