Türkiye strengthens the monitoring of its coastal fisheries with RockFLEET

Located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Türkiye boasts an extensive maritime territory and one of the largest fishing fleets in the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions. At a time when sustainable fisheries management and the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing are becoming increasingly important, the country has decided to take a new step forward in monitoring its fishing activities.

To support this ambition, the Turkish authorities are modernizing their national Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) through the deployment of a new generation of tracking devices designed to strengthen fleet monitoring, control and management capabilities.

Türkiye takes a new step forward in monitoring its coastal fisheries

Implemented under a contract awarded by the FAO/GFCM and the GEF funded FishEBM Black Sea and FishEBM Mediterranean projects, the initiative will equip 858 fishing vessels with next-generation RockFLEET VMS devices.

Deployment operations are taking place between May and October 2026 and involve nearly one hundred ports across the Turkish coastline.

This initiative represents a significant milestone for Türkiye, which continues to modernize its fisheries monitoring capabilities ten years after the deployment of its first VMS systems. The objective is to provide authorities with increasingly effective tools to monitor fleet activities, strengthen control capacities and support sustainable fisheries management.

Centralized management to support fisheries control authorities

Thanks to this new generation of VMS devices, Turkish authorities will benefit from enhanced visibility over fishing activities across the Mediterranean and Black Sea.

The devices provide near real-time vessel tracking, automated transmission of operational data and alerts in regulated fishing areas. The information collected is directly integrated into national fisheries monitoring systems, supporting inspections, operational control, activity analysis and decision-making processes.

This centralized approach also strengthens efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing while providing authorities with a more comprehensive understanding of activities taking place across their maritime zones.

RockFLEET: a tailored solution for the challenges of Türkiye’s coastal fisheries

To meet the specific needs of the Turkish fishing fleet, CLS relies on RockFLEET, a VMS device developed by its subsidiary Ground Control. Selected as part of this national programme, the solution will ultimately equip 858 fishing vessels operating from around one hundred ports across Türkiye.

Designed for fishing vessels operating both close to shore and in more remote areas, RockFLEET combines GSM and satellite connectivity to ensure reliable data transmission under all operating conditions. Compact, robust and easy to install, it addresses the operational constraints of coastal fisheries while facilitating large-scale deployment.

Initial feedback from the field confirms the solution’s ease of use. Authorities have highlighted the simplicity of installation and commissioning, while fishers benefit from a fully autonomous system that requires no action from the crew once installed.

A global leader in fisheries monitoring, CLS has been supporting governments and regional fisheries organizations for more than 40 years through the deployment of VMS solutions and fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance tools. Through this project, CLS is contributing to strengthening Türkiye’s fisheries monitoring capabilities and modernizing a system that is essential for sustainable fisheries management.