By Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo, GNA
Accra, May 11, GNA — Professor Edem Mahu, a Marine Scientist, has appealed to fishermen and vessel operators to stop destroying or disabling ocean observation systems and vessel tracking systems at sea.
She warned that the practice was undermining scientific research and maritime governance.
She said the destruction or intentional disabling of Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) and other ocean monitoring devices (moorings at sea) created major data gaps that weakened fisheries science, marine research, and policy decision-making.
Prof Mahu, who is also with the Department of Marine and Fisheries Science of the University of Ghana, made the appeal when presenting on the topic “When Vessels Go Dark: How IUU Fishing Weakens Science, Maritime Security and Governance” during the Maritime Action Platform Seminar in Accra.
She explained that illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing was not only a fisheries problem but also a major governance and data integrity challenge.
According to him, some fishing vessels deliberately switched off or manipulated tracking systems to avoid detection while engaging in illegal activities at sea.
“Going dark cuts across all IUU operations,” she stated, explaining that invisible and deceptive vessels created “missing activity, missing space, and missing accountability”.
She said missing vessel data affected stock assessments, biodiversity mapping, habitat monitoring, and ocean observation planning, resulting in weak science and ineffective policies.
“Poor data leads to weak science. Weak science leads to weak policy,” she stressed.
She noted that global studies had recorded more than 55,000 suspected intentional AIS-disabling events between 2017 and 2019, leading to about 4.9 million hours of obscured vessel activity worldwide.
The marine scientist warned that illegal fishing activities in West Africa continued to threaten food security, marine ecosystems, and livelihoods, with Africa estimated to lose between seven and 11 billion dollars annually to IUU fishing.
She further explained that unreported fishing activities distorted scientific models and created false impressions about fish stock recovery, ecosystem health, and the effectiveness of marine protected areas.
Prof Mahu called for stronger collaboration between fisheries institutions, the navy, scientists, port authorities and policymakers to build an integrated ocean intelligence system for the region.
She advocated the use of combined technologies such as AIS, Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS), satellite tracking, radar systems, and in-situ ocean data to improve surveillance and fisheries management.
She also stressed the need to train more African analysts and strengthen regional cooperation through platforms such as the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC).
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo, GNA