Can we find you, when you need us ?

The United Nations says 'Fishing at sea is probably the most dangerous occupation in the world.'They go on to state the obvious: 'the consequences of loss of life for artisanal fishers falls heavily on the dependents. These consequences can be devastating.'The immediate answer to improving safety is a tracking and location device of some sort but equipment is expensive and data costs are high.Concerned for our subsistence and artisanal fishers, ExactEarth raised sponsorship from the UK Space Agency and has distributed these AIS transponders to small craft boat owners around our coastline.These units are switched on when launching and they have a panic button which sends an emergency alert and location to rescuers.Sea Rescue supports this initiative which takes the search out of search and rescue. This is of particular concern for small craft on our West Coast where fog is an issue.The distribution of these devices began in November last year. Ten months down the line many artisanal and recreational fishing boats routinely use them. If you have one of these units or have seen them in use, please share your stories.Saving lives. Changing lives. Creating futures.