Regional workshop strengthens fight against illegal fishing
Risk factors identified
Law enforcement officials from Namibia and Angola gathered in Walvis Bay this week for a workshop on risk assessment in the fisheries sector, aimed at curbing illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and related crimes.
The training, hosted in partnership with Stop Illegal Fishing, equips officers to identify red flags such as vessels switching off satellite trackers, unusual crew arrangements or suspicious sailing patterns that may point to smuggling, labour abuses or other crimes.
During a media briefing, Dr Stanley Ndara, SADC Fisheries regional chairperson of the Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Coordination Centre, explained that the purpose of the training was to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement officials to understand and assess the risks posed by vessels intending to fish in Namibian waters.
“With this knowledge, officials can act proactively," he said.
Learning from past experiences
Per Erik Bergh, coordinator of Stop Illegal Fishing: “The risks we are examining come from experience with previous cases, in this instance 50 cases of illegal fishing. The goal is to identify indicators that fisheries officers should look for to assess risk – low, medium or high."
He said that risk assessment can cover the vessel’s owners, operators, masters, crew, fishing operations, and associated crimes.
“While vessels themselves do not commit crimes, there must be a link between the people on board and the vessel. Risk assessments allow officers to proceed with caution and conduct additional checks when necessary.”
Bergh furthermore explained that the aim is to create a harmonised system across the SADC region.
“For example, Seychelles and Namibia follow similar procedures, facilitating information exchange since fish do not observe borders. Border violations between Angola and Namibia have reduced significantly due to cooperation and fisheries intelligence sharing,” he said.
In Angola, illegal trans-shipments outside of port jurisdictions were detected using a combination of satellite tracking and artificial intelligence, exposing criminal networks.
“By integrating multiple satellite data sources, including radar images and light detection, officials gain a more comprehensive understanding than in the past. Today, we can detect more illegal activity than ten years ago. The principle is that crime must not pay; penalties must outweigh the value of illegal catches to ensure compliance," Bergh noted.
Challenges remain
Bergh added that since 1995, when he was an advisor to the fisheries minister, there has been a decrease in illegal fishing in Namibia.
“This can be attributed to increased capacity, knowledge and access to new equipment. However, challenges remain, including border violations and illegal trans-shipments, which are now detected more efficiently using satellite tracking and artificial intelligence.”
He furthermore stressed the importance of inter-agency cooperation.
“Tackling crimes at sea often requires coordination between fisheries, customs, immigration, police and labour authorities."
The training, hosted in partnership with Stop Illegal Fishing, equips officers to identify red flags such as vessels switching off satellite trackers, unusual crew arrangements or suspicious sailing patterns that may point to smuggling, labour abuses or other crimes.
During a media briefing, Dr Stanley Ndara, SADC Fisheries regional chairperson of the Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Coordination Centre, explained that the purpose of the training was to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement officials to understand and assess the risks posed by vessels intending to fish in Namibian waters.
“With this knowledge, officials can act proactively," he said.
Learning from past experiences
Per Erik Bergh, coordinator of Stop Illegal Fishing: “The risks we are examining come from experience with previous cases, in this instance 50 cases of illegal fishing. The goal is to identify indicators that fisheries officers should look for to assess risk – low, medium or high."
He said that risk assessment can cover the vessel’s owners, operators, masters, crew, fishing operations, and associated crimes.
“While vessels themselves do not commit crimes, there must be a link between the people on board and the vessel. Risk assessments allow officers to proceed with caution and conduct additional checks when necessary.”
Bergh furthermore explained that the aim is to create a harmonised system across the SADC region.
“For example, Seychelles and Namibia follow similar procedures, facilitating information exchange since fish do not observe borders. Border violations between Angola and Namibia have reduced significantly due to cooperation and fisheries intelligence sharing,” he said.
In Angola, illegal trans-shipments outside of port jurisdictions were detected using a combination of satellite tracking and artificial intelligence, exposing criminal networks.
“By integrating multiple satellite data sources, including radar images and light detection, officials gain a more comprehensive understanding than in the past. Today, we can detect more illegal activity than ten years ago. The principle is that crime must not pay; penalties must outweigh the value of illegal catches to ensure compliance," Bergh noted.
Challenges remain
Bergh added that since 1995, when he was an advisor to the fisheries minister, there has been a decrease in illegal fishing in Namibia.
“This can be attributed to increased capacity, knowledge and access to new equipment. However, challenges remain, including border violations and illegal trans-shipments, which are now detected more efficiently using satellite tracking and artificial intelligence.”
He furthermore stressed the importance of inter-agency cooperation.
“Tackling crimes at sea often requires coordination between fisheries, customs, immigration, police and labour authorities."
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