The government is launching a global ocean monitoring program for fishing-related crime. More than a third of all the world's coastal states will now have access to satellite data and expertise from Norway, which they can use to monitor their own maritime areas and detect fishing-related crimes.
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– This is cross-border organized economic crime worth billions that is draining the oceans. Fishing-related crimes threaten ecosystems and the sustainability of the sea and deprive local communities of jobs and assets. The fight against illegal fishing is very important for a large port country like Norway. That's why we're sharing Norwegian technology and expertise with many other countries to overcome this problem, says Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Bjørnar Skjæran.
Norway must share AIS data from Norwegian satellites with all countries participating in the Blue Justice Community. Countries receive the information free of charge, so they can conduct their own analysis and detect fishing crimes. They can also get free help from the Norwegian tracking unit in Vardø, which is staffed by analysts from the Norwegian Coastal Administration and the Directorate of Fisheries.
– The fight against fishing crime is important for the development of a sustainable and fair maritime economy in developing countries. Additionally, tracking fishing vessels may become an absolutely key tool for these countries, says Minister of Development Anne Beathe Tvinnereim.
The new ocean monitoring program was developed by the Norwegian Coastal Administration's BarentsWatch and the Norwegian Space Centre.
Essential for the UN
Norway has long been a driving force in joint international efforts to combat fishing crime and is already funding a project to combat fishing crime as part of the UN development program. The Blue Justice Community will make an important contribution to this work.
– Norway, and especially the Nordic region, is a region that has a lot to offer. The uniqueness of the Norwegian initiative lies in the combination of solid government expertise with digitization and data sharing. This is absolutely essential for the UN as we work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, says Ulrika Modeér, UN Deputy Secretary-General and Director of the UNDP Office for External Relations.
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Source: regjeringen
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