Act now: MMO releases further guidance on I-VMS
Eligible fishermen are urged to take immediate action as the Marine Management Organisation moves into the next phase of its I-VMS roll-out
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has confirmed that from next week, owners of under-12 metre English fishing vessels fitted with Succorfish SC2 devices will be able to register for a Nemo device from CLS UK Ltd from, which will be provided and installed at no charge to eligible fishermen who register by 11.59pm on Sunday 12 July 2026.
MMO will send letters and emails to eligible vessel owners shortly, with instructions on how to register with CLS UK Ltd for their funded Nemo device. Following registration, devices will be sent to vessel owners and CLS UK Ltd will contact them directly to arrange installation by an approved engineer.
Sean Douglas, MMO’s Head of Regulatory Assurance, said: “We acknowledge that circumstances over the past few months have been challenging, and we are grateful for the patience shown by impacted fishermen.
“We will support those who have already secured an I-VMS device to comply with their licence condition by ensuring they have devices that transmit positional data to the UK VMS Hub. We have made every effort to streamline the process to reduce the financial and administrative impact on individuals who register by the deadline.
“I-VMS data is central to our understanding of what is happening in our inshore waters and England’s marine environment, and we are committed to moving forward with I-VMS for the benefit of both fishers and fisheries management”.
Fishermen with SC2 devices are reminded to check their contractual obligations with the SC2 device supplier, Succorfish, regarding airtime, warranties, access to positional data and purchase of their device. Devices should not be switched off or removed before the Nemo device has been installed. The removal and disposal of a device is the responsibility of the vessel owner and should always be undertaken by a certified engineer and in accordance with local environmental guidelines and MMO guidance, at certified WEEE recycling providers.
Vessels fishing in the Devon & Severn IFCA district are included in this roll-out and should register for a Nemo device to be compliant with the licence condition for English waters. Fishermen should contact the IFCA directly with any queries about their Rewire device.
Vessel owners without any I-VMS device will have to cover purchase and installation costs themselves. MMO will notify these fishermen ahead of plans to resume enforcement of the I-VMS licence condition, but the advice is to act promptly to purchase and install a device in preparation.
MMO’s approach to compliance and enforcement approach will remain measured and pragmatic to ensure fishermen can continue to operate safely and legally.
Anyone who thinks they are eligible for a replacement device but does not receive a notice to to register in the next 10-days,, or has a general enquiry, can contact MMO’s I-VMS team at ivms@marinemanagement.org.uk or 01900 508618. Phone lines are open Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm.
Updates will be published on the I-VMS guidance page on GOV.UK as more information becomes available: www.gov.uk/mmo/i-vms-england