Illegal fishing is thriving in African waters—a satellite system could help change that
A patrol boat off the coast of Gabon intercepted three trawlers in July 2026, inside the Grand Sud Reserve. This is one of West and Central Africa's largest marine reserves, where industrial trawling is banned. None of the trawlers held a valid license. The patrol found them because analysts at the nonprofit Global Fishing Watch had studied satellite data and worked out where to look.
Illegal fishing is rampant in African waters, but a satellite system could help combat this issue. In July 2026, a patrol boat intercepted three trawlers in Gabon's Grand Sud Reserve, an area where industrial fishing is banned. The trawlers had no valid licenses, and the patrol found them due to satellite data analysis by Global Fishing Watch.
Most illegal fishing vessels remain undetected, with 72%-76% of industrial fishing vessels disappearing from public tracking in 2024. Africa's 30,500km coastline across 38 states loses an estimated $11 billion to $13 billion annually to illegal fishing. The problem lies in self-reporting, which is unreliable as vessels can switch off their transponders.
A system using satellites to track vessels directly could be more effective. A tracking system designed for the Somali Basin, one of the world's richest tuna grounds and least patrolled areas, was designed by a Ph.D. candidate. The system utilizes low-cost technology and can be built with existing satellite designs. However, enforcement remains a challenge.
While satellite data can show vessels, it cannot board them or take legal action. Overcoming this requires neighboring states to share costs and patrols, and political will to act on the information provided. Some African governments are already taking steps, such as publishing national vessel tracking data and forming task forces to pool intelligence on suspect vessels.
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