As of 1 May 2008 FFA has changed the specifications for the type approval of units used with the FFA Vessel Monitoring System. This document outlines the changes and defines how FFA will treat the units that were approved prior to the new specifications being approved.The new specifications have been produced as a result of changes in technology and changes in the way in which VMS is used now and into the future. The new specifications harmonise with other type approval specifications in use around the world.This means FFA can take advantage of changes in technology and simplifies the process for vendors applying for type approval in other jurisdictions. The new specifications is provided in the PDF documents below.

Changes to the Type Approval Specifications
The new specifications provide a more rigorous approach to type approval than had previously been the case. The new specifications also provide for the approval of terminals attached to units to allow for the cost effective transmission of catch data to FFA. In addition the specifications also apply to the Mobile Communications Service Provider (MCSP) to ensure the integrity and timeliness of the data transmitted to FFA from fishing vessels.