CCTV at Sea: Environmental Justice Implications
- Vast stretches of the world's oceans lack effective monitoring, allowing illegal fishing and serious human rights abuses to continue unchecked.
- The EJF report details how illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing is frequently connected to violence, intimidation, and forced labor.
- While fisheries observers are considered a key monitoring tool, thay currently cover only a small percentage of global fishing trips.
Oceans Remain Unmonitored, Enabling Illegal Fishing and Abuse
Vast stretches of the world’s oceans lack effective monitoring, allowing illegal fishing and serious human rights abuses to continue unchecked. A new report from the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) urges the immediate,widespread use of onboard CCTV cameras,arguing this technology can dramatically improve clarity and promote lasting ocean practices. Read the full report here.
The EJF report details how illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing is frequently connected to violence, intimidation, and forced labor. This is largely due to the lack of independent oversight on fishing vessels, especially those operating in distant waters and on the high seas.
While fisheries observers are considered a key monitoring tool, thay currently cover only a small percentage of global fishing trips. Moreover, observers face risks of intimidation and violence; at least 14 have gone missing or died under suspicious circumstances in the last decade. Other monitoring methods, like vessel tracking systems and logbooks, don’t reveal what happens on deck or below it, creating meaningful gaps in oversight.
CCTV Offers a Solution
The report highlights that onboard CCTV can deter criminal activity and abuse, while also providing verifiable evidence for enforcement. Case studies from around the world demonstrate its effectiveness.
- Taiwan: A near-fleet-wide rollout of CCTV on distant-water vessels has helped curb shark finning and the killing of protected species. One fisher told EJF, “There are laws and CCTV now. If we got a shark, it would be cut [loose].” More information on Taiwan’s program.
- Denmark: Cameras on trawlers substantially reduced the illegal discarding of juvenile cod, which had previously been thrown overboard to meet quota requirements.
- Ghana: The report also notes the disappearance of two observers in Ghana, highlighting the dangers faced by those directly monitoring fishing activities.Read more about the disappearances in Ghana.
The EJF argues that widespread CCTV adoption is a crucial step toward a more clear and sustainable fishing industry, protecting both marine ecosystems and the rights of those who work on the water.