Inmarsat, the world leader in global, mobile satellite communications, supported by Oceana, the largest organisation solely dedicated to protecting and restoring the world’s ocean, has taken further steps to tackle illegal fishing. Oceana flagged 13 vessels that were identified by multiple Regional Fisheries Management Organisations as having engaged in illegal fishing. Inmarsat, which has worked for many years to support sustainable fishing, barred the vessels from its commercial services and updated procedures to screen against global illegal fishing vessel lists to ensure that such operators do not access its services. This is a crucial step further to stopping illegal fishing because the absence of maritime mobile satellite communication services makes it more difficult for these vessels to find fish faster and increase profits.
Pascale Moehrle, Executive Director of Oceana in Europe, says: “We welcome Inmarsat’s decision to take action to support sustainable fishing. We call on all companies that provide services to the global fishing sector to follow this example and screen for illegal fishing vessels, to cut the lifelines that enable these unscrupulous operators to continue plundering the ocean.”
By supporting initiatives to tackle illegal fishing, Inmarsat is in the vanguard of businesses that are reducing these illicit operators’ access to essential services that keep their business operations afloat. National authorities also need to ensure that businesses and individuals located in their country are not providing services to illegal fishing vessels since this is prohibited in Europe and may imply a legal risk of prosecution.
Illegal fishing affects the ocean worldwide, inflicting damage to the marine environment and the local communities that depend on it, costing the global economy tens of billions of euros yearly. Illegal fishing can also be associated with transnational criminal activities, from human trafficking and slavery to the transportation of drugs and arms. Oceana calls on all maritime industry companies conducting business with fishing vessels to adopt due diligence measures that ensure no support is provided to those who engage in illegal fishing.
Notes to editors:
Companies that provide services to fishing vessels have the power to keep illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) vessels at port and inoperable, stopping their illicit activities.
Companies that provide services to fishing vessels have the power to keep illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) vessels at port and inoperable, stopping their illicit activities.
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