Improving fisheries surveillance through satellite information in South Africa

20 September 2024, Cape Town - The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Global Maritime Crime Programme (UNODC GMCP), with the support of the Japanese government, organized an innovative Maritime Domain Awareness training with a focus on fisheries surveillance using satellite imagery. This training highlighted the applications and advantages of using satellite imagery in combating fisheries crimes.

Participants from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, the Department of Transport, South African Maritime Safety Authority, and Border Management Authority spent five days using satellite imagery and other maritime domain awareness tools to help in fisheries monitoring control and surveillance efforts.

Senior Maritime Conservation Inspector Winston Arends noted, “Having such training helped me getting insight of where fishing grounds are and helps my daily activities whenever I am out of the sea.” Although such training is crucial, he further indicated that there is much to be done to perfect maritime domain awareness to counter crimes in the fisheries sector.

A stronger monitoring, control and surveillance of fisheries grounds will assist in countering crimes related to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, including a priority concern on abalone poaching topics with distinct economic, environmental and social impacts, including loss of livelihoods and food insecurity.

This initiative has aligned with UNODC Strategic Vision for Africa 2030, which promotes sustainable development and the protection of Africa's natural resources and also securing the safety of African people from organized crime, terrorism and violence and contributes to the attainment of United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 16 on Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, seeking to strengthen relevant national institutions to prevent violence and combat terrorism and crime

This project was made possible with the generous support of the government of Japan through the project Strengthening Maritime Security and the Rule of Law at Sea in Africa to maintain a Free and Open Maritime Space toward a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.

United Nations

UNODC ROSAF

Improving fisheries surveillance through satellite information in South Africa