Division Methodology used:

This analysis is the results of applying the standard methodology used to identify whether or not UK vessels have been active in a particular detailed spatial area to the information received for non-UK vessels, in particular those from Belgium with historic access rights to certain part of UK inshore waters.

It involves the estimation of fishing activity from VMS data based on the speed of the vessel as reported within the VMS messages ("Pings")

Data for each VMS Ping received from Non-UK vessels in the rectangle or rectangles concerned that cover the detailed area are selected from the UK VMS system, extracting details of the vessel identity (CFR) number, position and speed and the date and time of the ping.

Each Ping is assessed and classified as indicative of fishing activity taking place if the speed is >=1 or <=6 knots

These fishing pings from the rectangle(s) concerned are then processed in GIS software to identify if the position was inside or outside the details spatial area concerned

This allows the proportion of fishing pings recorded for each Member State within the rectangle that were inside the detailed are to be calculated. This factor will then be applied to the overall level of landings seen within the STECF data sets for the Member State concerned to allow estimates of activity by non-UK vessels within the detailed spatial are to be constructed.