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The European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) and Frontex have signed a cooperation arrangement to improve the exchange of information between the two EU agencies.

Under a Service Level Agreement (SLA) signed by the two agencies, EFCA, with consent of the relevant Member States, will be able to provide its Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) data to Frontex. The information about legitimate fishing vessels will strengthen Frontex’s ability to detect other smaller boats suspected of being used for cross-border crime and irregular migration.

The VMS is a satellite-based monitoring system providing data to the fisheries authorities on the location, course and speed of fishing vessels. Frontex will use the information to enhance its services delivered through the Eurosur Fusion Services for a comprehensive European Situational Picture.

The Eurosur Fusion Services include automated vessel tracking and detection capabilities. They allow for detecting anomalies in vessel behaviour and predicting vessel positions. Fusion Services use optical and radar satellite technology to locate vessels requiring search and rescue or those that are suspected of being engaged in criminal activities, such as drug or weapon smuggling. This data is provided to EU Member States and participants in Frontex joint operations.