FLTC Services has secured a grant from the Scottish Ministers and the European Fisheries Fund (EFF) to meet the first phase costs of developing a replacement for 'FishSAFE', a unique GPS-based safety device which provides fishermen with audible and visual warnings of seabed obstructions on which fishing nets may become caught. This grant has enabled FLTC Services to place a contract for the production and supply of new devices with Jeppesen Italia S.r.l., a Boeing company.

The project is also supported by Oil & Gas UK, the Scottish Fishermen's Federation (SFF), the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations (NFFO) and the North Sea Commission.The original FishSAFE device, developed in 1998, can no longer be maintained since its internal components are becoming obsolete. FLTC Services is procuring its replacement and the EFF grant will allow it to trial and test the device. Once the trial is successfully completed, FLTCS intend to supply 300 units to the UK fishing fleet.

The unit will have state-of-the-art technology with clearer graphics, making it easier to use. The device casing will also be more robust, giving improved performance. We aim to make the new device available from October 2009 with the help of second phase funding from the EFF.

Skipper Victor Laurenson signing an Expression of Interest Form for the new FishSAFE unit at the Glasgow Fishing Exhibition on 15 May 2009 (Picture: David Linkie).