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About
Pelagic Data Systems (PDS) sets a global standard for fisheries data solutions by combining custom-built hardware with advanced AI-driven analytics. Designed from the ground up for fishing vessels of every size—from small artisanal canoes to large commercial fleets—PDS's solar-powered, rugged Vessel Tracking System automatically collects location, activity, gear type, and catch storage temperature data without requiring shore power or manual input. Their secure cloud analytics platform integrates data from PDS trackers and third-party sensors with any external data source, enabling comprehensive spatial analysis of fishing activity. Fleet managers and regulators can visualize catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE), identify high-productivity fishing zones, monitor compliance with marine protected area (MPA) regulations, and enforce gear-type restrictions in real time. PDS also offers full ocean-to-consumer supply chain traceability, providing complete transparency into catch sourcing, fishing methods, and cold-chain integrity—interoperable with existing supply chain tools. Governments and fisheries managers use PDS to make data-driven decisions, optimize sustainable practices, and generate verifiable compliance reports. With customizable metrics, alerts, and dashboards, PDS serves a wide spectrum of clients including regulatory agencies, fishing cooperatives, NGOs, and commercial seafood businesses seeking to modernize fleet management and sustainability reporting.
Key Features
- Rugged Solar-Powered Vessel Tracking: Ultra-light, solar-powered tracking units work automatically on vessels of any size—including small canoes—without requiring ship power, recording location, activity, and gear usage.
- Fisheries Management Analytics: AI-driven spatial analysis identifies where vessels fish, how often, and with what gear. Catch-per-unit-effort visualizations help optimize fishing zones and support sustainable management decisions.
- Marine Protected Area Compliance Monitoring: Customizable metrics and real-time alerts track vessel compliance with MPA boundaries, gear restrictions, and usage regulations, providing auditable reports for regulators.
- Supply Chain & Cold-Chain Traceability: Full ocean-to-consumer traceability integrates with existing supply chain tools to verify catch sourcing, fishing methods, and storage temperature integrity throughout the cold chain.
- Integrated Cloud Analytics Dashboard: A secure online platform aggregates PDS sensor data and third-party sources, letting users filter trips, analyze behavioral patterns, and connect external databases via API.
Use Cases
- Government fisheries agencies monitoring commercial and artisanal fleet compliance with marine protected area boundaries and gear restrictions.
- Seafood companies verifying ocean-to-consumer traceability and cold-chain integrity for sustainability certifications and consumer transparency.
- Fishing cooperatives and fleet operators optimizing catch-per-unit-effort by identifying high-productivity zones through spatial data analysis.
- NGOs and conservation organizations using vessel behavioral data to inform sustainable fisheries management policies.
- Fisheries managers integrating landing data with at-sea tracking to make evidence-based decisions about stock management and fleet capacity.
Pros
- End-to-End Solution: PDS handles everything from proprietary hardware to cloud analytics and supply chain traceability, reducing the need to stitch together multiple vendor solutions.
- Works on Any Vessel Size: The system is purpose-built for artisanal and small-scale fleets, not just large commercial vessels, making it accessible across the full spectrum of fishing operations.
- Highly Customizable: Metrics, alerts, and dashboards can be tailored to specific regulatory zones, gear restrictions, and individual fleet requirements.
- Interoperable Data Integration: The analytics platform connects with external databases and supply chain tools via API, fitting into existing government and enterprise data ecosystems.
Cons
- Fisheries-Only Use Case: The platform is highly specialized for the fishing industry and is not applicable to other maritime or logistics sectors without significant customization.
- Non-Transparent Pricing: Pricing is not publicly listed and requires direct engagement, which may slow evaluation for smaller organizations or NGOs with limited procurement resources.
- Hardware Dependency: Full functionality relies on PDS's proprietary physical tracking hardware being installed on vessels, which may create logistical challenges for large or dispersed fleets.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of fishing fleets can PDS support?
PDS is designed to serve fleets of any scale, from individual artisanal fishers using small canoes to large commercial and government-managed fishing operations worldwide.
How does the vessel tracking hardware work?
PDS uses rugged, ultra-light, solar-powered sensors that automatically record vessel location, activity, fishing gear type, and catch storage temperature without requiring vessel power or manual operation.
Can PDS integrate with existing supply chain or data systems?
Yes. The analytics platform supports API integration with external databases and is designed to be fully interoperable with existing supply chain tools for end-to-end traceability.
How does PDS help with marine protected area compliance?
PDS provides real-time monitoring and customizable alerts for vessel behavior within or near MPAs, tracking compliance with location restrictions, gear-type rules, and other zone-specific regulations.
What kind of analytics does the PDS platform provide?
The platform offers spatial analysis of fishing activity, catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) visualization, trip history filtering, behavioral trend analysis, and custom reporting for fisheries managers and regulators.
