Ground Control's RockFLEET technology selected to support France's new coastal fishing vessel monitoring programme

Ground Control's RockFLEET technology is set to play a key role in the rollout of France's new coastal fishing vessel monitoring programme to improve stock visibility, following confirmation that parent company CLS will deploy the certified solution across the country's small scale fishing fleet.

Under new French regulations, introduced as part of wider reforms to European fisheries control, coastal fishing vessels under 12 metres, will be required to carry an approved satellite tracking device between 2026 and 2028.

The measures are designed to improve the traceability of fishing activity, strengthen fisheries management and support the sustainable use of marine resources.

CLS plans to equip the majority of the French coastal and artisanal fishing fleet with its certified ROCKFLEET Vessel Monitoring System (VMS), with Ground Control's RockFLEET technology forming the foundation of the deployment.

RockFLEET combines cellular connectivity in coastal waters with automatic switching to the Iridium satellite network when vessels move beyond mobile coverage, providing continuous vessel monitoring and reliable reporting regardless of location.

The system also supports configurable reporting intervals, geofencing, secure data transmission and remote device management, helping operators remain compliant while giving fisheries authorities accurate visibility of vessel activity.

Alastair MacLeod, CEO of Ground Control, said: "Sustainable fisheries management depends on having reliable, trusted information about activity at sea. For many coastal fleets, maintaining continuous visibility can be challenging when vessels regularly move beyond terrestrial coverage.

“RockFLEET was designed to remove that gap by combining satellite and cellular connectivity into a single solution that continues reporting wherever vessels operate. We are proud that our technology is helping support this important national programme and demonstrating how resilient connectivity can underpin better fisheries management."

Ground Control's RockFLEET is a permanently installed marine tracking device that delivers global vessel monitoring using the Iridium satellite network, with optional LTE Narrowband connectivity providing automatic least cost routing when terrestrial networks are available.

The deployment reflects growing international demand for resilient vessel monitoring systems as governments strengthen fisheries management, improve regulatory compliance and seek better data to support evidence based decision making.

Ground Control’s RockFLEET solution is used across commercial maritime, fisheries and government applications worldwide.