| Abstract: |
On Monday, the NGO Oceana published an investigative report spotlighting commercial fishing vessels that appear to disable their AIS near marine reserves. AIS is a collision-avoidance tool, but it can also be used to monitor and track vessel movements. A ship’s crew may turn off their AIS for legitimate reasons, like avoiding pirates in high-risk areas, but Oceana says that it may also indicate that a vessel is hiding its location to conceal illegal activities. These could include fishing in protected areas or entering another country’s waters without authorization. |
