These Are the Best AIS Tools for Fishermen

AIS (Automatic Identification System) is an important tool for fishermen, providing an overview of sea traffic and enhancing safety. With AIS, you can monitor both your own and other vessels, helping with everything from avoiding collisions to optimizing fishing. But coverage varies among AIS services. In this post, we examine different AIS sources and rank the best services for fishermen.

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Tomas Roaldsnes

Why AIS Is Important for Fishermen

AIS provides real-time data on vessel positions, enhancing safety, improving planning, and allowing better fleet management. Tracks also provide fishermen with valuable information about where fishing has taken place. For fishermen far from the coast, satellite coverage is especially important.

How the Different AIS Sources Work

Terrestrial AIS (base stations)

Terrestrial AIS collects signals via land-based receivers, typically with a range of 30-50 nautical miles from the coast. It provides excellent coverage in busy coastal areas but does not extend far out to sea.

Advantages: Precise coverage near the coast.
Disadvantages: Limited range.

Satellite AIS (SAT-AIS)

SAT-AIS uses satellites to receive AIS signals over large distances, including far out at sea. Coverage depends on the number of satellites in orbit and their positions. More satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) provide better coverage, as they pass more frequently over various areas.

Advantages: Global coverage, a must for ocean-going vessels.
Disadvantages: Higher cost, often with delayed position updates.

Dynamic/Roaming AIS

Dynamic or roaming AIS involves vessels themselves collecting AIS data via VHF and forwarding it, providing additional coverage in areas with high traffic. This extends coverage in sea areas with many vessels contributing to data collection and sharing.

Advantages: Flexible, good coverage in areas with high vessel traffic.
Disadvantages: Variable coverage depending on vessel traffic.

Why the Number of Satellites Matters

Good SAT-AIS coverage depends on the number of satellites and when these orbit over the vessels. More satellites in low Earth orbit mean more frequent updates, providing more continuous and accurate data. A good position update frequency is essential for responding quickly when a vessel moves off or changes course, as well as for historical tracking with detailed trails.

The Best AIS Services for Fishermen

1. Catchwise

Catchwise is specifically designed for fishing vessels and offers both terrestrial and satellite-based AIS. In addition to AIS, Catchwise offers several fisheries features like estimated bottom temperatures, historically good areas, and catch predictions for recommended areas.

Advantages:
· Combines AIS from multiple providers for better coverage
· Uses all sources (terrestrial, satellite, and roaming)
· Ability to customize tracks with speed or different vessels
· Weather, wind, and ocean currents
· Historically good catch areas
· Automatically analyzes fishing activity from AIS
· Various background maps, like depth contours, seabed, and nautical charts
· Extensive support information, such as boundaries, fishing banks, and fjord lines
· Tailored for fishermen with a high focus on user experience

Disadvantages:
· Not global coverage like general AIS services

Source: Screenshot from video on Fishfacts.com

2. Fishfacts

Fishfacts is a popular AIS service for fishing and aquaculture. The service provides good AIS coverage with both terrestrial and satellite-based AIS. Fishfacts offers a range of features for fisheries, like weather, wind, and ocean currents, as well as sea conditions. The platform also includes several other modules for fisheries and aquaculture, such as CRM, profitability analysis, and service provider overview.

Advantages:
· Good AIS coverage
· Ability to customize tracks with speed or different vessels
· Weather, wind, and ocean currents
· Option for seabed as a background map
· Detailed ice maps from satellite images

Disadvantages:
· Poorer user experience
· Fewer support functions for fishing

Source: Screenshot from Marinetraffic.com

3. MarineTraffic

MarineTraffic is one of the best-known AIS services globally, offering terrestrial and satellite-based AIS through a partner. This provides flexible coverage at an affordable price.

Advantages:
· Good global coverage
· Very good coastal coverage with terrestrial AIS
· Tracks back in time with playback
· Good track for monitoring one vessel at a time
· Affordable subscription for a single user

Disadvantages:
· Very poor satellite AIS coverage
· Unsuitable for ocean-going fishing vessels
· Cannot view multiple tracks simultaneously
· No support functions for fishing

Source: Screenshot from Vesselfinder.com

4. VesselFinder

VesselFinder provides a simple and user-friendly solution with both terrestrial and satellite-based AIS coverage. The service is ideal for those who only need basic tracking without additional features.

Advantages:
· Slightly better satellite coverage than MarineTraffic
· Global coverage
· Affordable price for basic functionality

Disadvantages:
· Cannot view multiple tracks simultaneously
· No support functions for fishing

Detailed insights for the fishing industry.

Rankings, reports about finding fish and product updates from Catchwise.

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