Photo by Nick Fewings
A significant gap has emerged in the UK’s fishing vessel monitoring system after a major supplier halted data transmission to authorities over an unresolved contract dispute, leaving an unknown number of under-12 metre vessels untracked.
Succorfish stopped forwarding positional data to the UK VMS Hub on 11th August, citing the absence of a formal contractual arrangement with the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) after more than 12 months of providing services without official funding.
Company cites unsustainable arrangement
Succorfish explained it had been “providing IVMS data forwarding services to the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) for over 12 months without any formal contractual arrangement or funding in place.” The company said the forwarding of data “has been carried out entirely at Succorfish’s own cost. This arrangement is not sustainable.”
MMO expresses disappointment
The MMO confirmed it was “aware that Succorfish is no longer transmitting I-VMS data to the UK VMS Hub” and said this was “preventing MMO from receiving positional data from under-12m vessels using Succorfish type-approved devices.”
The organisation stated: “The onward transmission of data to the UK VMS Hub is a fundamental and integral part of this type approval, and we are disappointed Succorfish has taken this course of action.”
Pattern of implementation challenges
The dispute represents the latest in a series of issues that have plagued the I-VMS rollout. Earlier in 2025, the MMO faced criticism following mistaken compliance warning letters, including to a West Country fisherman whose vessel was already fitted with an approved device.
Questions over device reliability, supplier performance, and the MMO’s procurement and oversight have persisted since the I-VMS requirement was introduced, with several suppliers removed from the type-approved list due to technical issues.
Enforcement implications
The suspension leaves the MMO without live positional information from an unknown number of vessels, creating a gap in monitoring capacity that could impact fisheries enforcement and compliance data.
Succorfish say that the resumption of data forwarding will be contingent on “the MMO implementing a formal service agreement.” The MMO said it was “working with the supplier to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.”