Comparison of Low-Cost Global Positioning System (GPS) Data Loggers for Their Potential Application in Fishing Vessel Monitoring System in the Philippines

The current system of monitoring fishing activities to generate information to support fisheries management in the Philippines is inadequate.The high cost of the satellite-based vessel monitoring system (VMS) makes it limited to Philippines commercial fishing vessels operating in the high seas in Western and Central Pacific.This project aims to investigate the best commercial GPS data logger as an alternative to VMS for low-cost vessel monitoring in terms of accuracy, power efficiency, and price.Nine different commercial GPS data loggers (Globalsat DG-100, Canmore GT-740FL, Canmore GT-750F, Columbus v-900, Holux rcv-3000, Qstarz BT1000XT, SJ5282DL, SJ5286TH), categorised into three price groups and three different chipset groups, were tested.Data locations of several GPS data loggers were compared to a commercial VMS, and results showed that all GPS data loggers provide locations data that are very close to VMS.The position readings of the data loggers are not statistically different, except for two units.Power consumptions were statistically different among the units.Based on the three criteria, Globalsat DG-100, Canmore GT-750F, and SJ5282DL all give closest positions data to commercially available satellite-based VMS that may be acceptable for regulatory purposes in the Philippines and offer cost-effective VMS solutions for monitoring and managing both commercial and municipal fisheries in the country.