IPNLF and Zeal Industries have teamed up to support the innovation, field-testing and development of new applications of wearable technologies geared towards small-scale fisheries.
The partnership will explore further use cases for Zeal Industries’ Uptime® technology, a groundbreaking safety solution for artisanal fishers that can significantly enhance safety at sea and improve operational efficiency for small-scale fishers.
This technology brings advanced real-time recording and highly precise, high-resolution tracking data to fishing vessels at an affordable price. This kind of data, known as rich telemetry data, is made available via ultra-affordable satellite technology, making it one-tenth of the price of comparable maritime solutions.
IPNLF offers deep expertise in fisheries and an extensive global network of fishing communities. This partnership ensures Uptime® is tailored to meet the specific needs of fishers, maximising its positive impact.
Uptime was created by Zeal Industries, the team behind innovative IoT technologies.
IPNLF’s global network of fisheries and seafood market stakeholders is also providing mutual benefits with Uptime field trials already being prepared among fleets in South Africa, Tanzania and Japan.
‘We are thrilled to announce this partnership, which blends diverse expertise across the fisheries and technology sectors’, said Martin Purves, Managing Director of IPNLF.
‘Zeal Industries is a highly skilled and dedicated partner. Our collaborative development and refinement of their cost-effective wearable technology is set to positively change how we think about and apply technologies in fisheries.’
Benjamin So, CEO of Zeal Industries, highlighted the synergy of the partnership, stating, ‘We are excited to partner with IPNLF, a global organisation recognised and respected for its extensive understanding of fisheries and seafood, and its clear passion for improving the lives of small-scale fishers and their reliant communities’.
Seafood markets increasingly require fleets to adopt technologies that reduce risks and improve supply chain transparency but most of the available technologies are expensive and focus on a single issue.
Scaling from pilots to ongoing application continues to be the greatest hurdle for most of the technologies available today. This is especially true for small-scale fishing vessel owners who can’t access the financing to purchase, install or maintain the currently available technologies. As a result, global drives to technology-driven fisheries currently tend to marginalise small-scale fisheries from globalised seafood markets.
This strategic alliance, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), will help widen access to innovative wearable technology that protects fishers and promotes sustainable practices.
NOTES TO EDITORS
About Zeal Industries
Zeal’s vision is to create technological innovations that solve the planet’s most intractable social challenges. Zeal Industries’ flagship product, Uptime Rescue, is a satellite-enabled wearable tracking device to save lives at sea. Compact and power-efficient, Uptime Rescue is worn by each crew member, and automatically sends an SOS to rescue services and nearby vessels should a man-overboard event occur. The crew member’s position is transmitted in real-time to facilitate swift rescue. Zeal Industries won the 2023 Responsible Seafood Innovation Award for their Uptime technology.
Click here to see a short video explaining the award-winning technology further, which is now aiming to not only serve safety at sea benefits, but to also improve the transparency and the at sea traceability of fisheries all in one small and affordable technology suite.
About IPNLF
The International Pole & Line Foundation (IPNLF) is a UK-registered charity dedicated to developing, supporting, and promoting socially and environmentally responsible one-by-one tuna fisheries in 33 countries. These traditional fishing techniques are highly selective, minimising bycatch and environmental impact, while supporting the livelihoods of coastal communities. IPNLF collaborates with fishers, businesses, and policymakers to implement sustainable practices, enhance supply chain transparency, and advocate for equitable policies that benefit both people and the planet. IPNLF has 58 members, including the retailers Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, Whole Foods, Edeka, Migros and Woolworths South Africa.
Media Contact:
Clare Harrison
IPNLF
clare.harrison@ipnlf.org