Australia’s electronic monitoring program

Information is provided about the electronic monitoring program implemented in Commonwealth-managed fisheries in Australian jurisdiction. Australian experience is that electronic monitoring is a cost-effective data collection and logbook verification tool that improves the accuracy and reliability of logbook data. As electronic monitoring becomes an established data collection and verification tool, there is an opportunity to review how data are collected by regional fisheries and conservation bodies. This review should include consideration of how electronic monitoring and onboard observers may be used together to ensure that scientific data needs are met in a cost-effective way.