Kenya Will Use a Vessel Tracking System to Curb Illegal Fishing

In a bid to combat illegal fishing, Kenya is joining the increasing ranks of high-tech fisheries to use tracking systems to help ensure its fish stocks are sustainably harvested.

Whether it's whales, sharks, or reefs, evidence abounds that our oceans don't receive the conservation attention they require. Part of the problem is one of simply regulating space. Oceans are vast, vessels comparatively sparse, and boundaries fluid, which means demarcating boundaries–and enforcing them–isn't as exact as it is on land.

To counter that, many fisheries require the use of vessel monitoring systems, which track boats and ships via GPS to make sure they stay within demarcated areas, such as the exclusive economic zones that extend off of many countries' coasts. According to Business Daily Africa, Kenya is preparing to implement VMS, which will help deter illegal fishing by process of elimination–if a fishing vessel doesn't show up on VMS, then it's not operating legally. It's not ideal, as Kenyan authorities still must find the vesels, but it's a start.

VMS is being implemented in Kenya because of economics: the West Indian Ocean is crowded with fishing operations, and they regularly enter Kenyan waters to chase after migratory fish. That means that the Kenyan fishery is being depleted with little, if any, monetary benefit to the country, which amounts to millions of potential dollars lost each year. Making sure operators are licensed in Kenya and work out of Kenyan ports (a change that is being proposed) will help guarantee that Kenya is maximizing the benefits of utilizing its fisheries, which is key to developing a sustainable, long-term industry.

And beyond the economic benefit of VMS, using the system can have direct conservation benefits. A rather important aspect of fishery management (and any conservation efforts, really) is having solid data. It's hard to set solid catch targets if you don't know how big the industry actually is, and it's even harder to enforce them when you don't have an idea of how many fish are actually being caught.

In 2007, Witt and Godley looked at VMS data in the UK and found that having spatial and temporal information on fishing vessels could have a serious management benefit. It's two pronged: First, knowing who's fishing where helps authorities regulate the trade to make sure people aren't breaking the rules. Additionally, tracking trends in fishing locations can help create a better picture of where fish populations are moving every year, which is another aid to conservation.

It's therefore great to see Kenya jump on board the VMS train. Along with the strict economic benefits, it's a lot easier to make a case for protecting fisheries when those fisheries are clearly shown to be valuable. Right now, with various interests able to essentially loot Kenyan waters, that's not the case. Adding VMS won't cure illegal fishing on its own, but it will add a whole lot of clarity to the Kenyan fishery management.

@derektmead