Advanced radar technology and AI cloud-based system – Marine Monitor - proven in arrest and successful prosecution of charter fishing operator

Global Conservation and our partners celebrate the conviction in San Diego courts of Helgren’s Sportfishing, through owner Joseph Helgren, who pleaded guilty to violation of Fish and Game Code section 12012.5 – illegal fishing by permitted commercial operator in a California Marine Protected Area (MPA).

Mobile Marine Monitor in California’s Channel Islands. Credit: Protected Seas

Working to deploy a Marine Defense Network to protect endangered MPAs on California’s 3,000 miles of coastline for the past five years, this is the first major conviction after seeing many arrested ‘let off the hook’ or giving hand-slap sentencings like in the case of poacher in 2020 receiving a fine of just $140 - $1 fine per lobster.

Marine Monitor Radar providing 24/7 surveillance against illegal fishing.

Global Conservation has been funding the deployment of a Marine Defense Network of marine radars to protect California’s endangered Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) over the past five years. Now, there are eight (8) Marine Monitors operating on California’s 3,000-mile coastline.

Last week, we saw the first successful prosecution of a charter fishing operator illegally fishing one mile inside Swami’s MPA, just north of San Diego. Reported by the Encinitas Lifeguard team who operate Marine Radar from their beach station, the Electra fishing charter was arrested by California Law Enforcement Division of the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Marine Monitor Command Center for tracking illegal fishing vessels in ‘No Take’ MPAs.

Each day in California waters, hundreds of illegal fishing boats haul their illicit catch from protected spawning areas within California’s recently established network of 124 MPAs.

With Marine Monitor radar systems providing 24/7 surveillance of endangered MPAs combined with rapid response law enforcement, the State of California now has fighting chance against illegal fishing which is estimated to steal over $240 million a year from coastal waters and marine protected areas. Illegal fishing in California’s MPAs destroys our ability to regenerate critical fish stocks for the legal fishing industry needed to feed people, and recreational fishing which together generate over $1.2 billion in revenues a year.

Swami’s MPA - Encinitas Lifeguards used Marine Monitor radar to track the Electra illegally fishing in the MPA.

Global Conservation provides financial support for technological development and deployment of Marine Monitor systems combined with long-range cameras and SMART Patrolling with our partners ProtectedSeas, WildCoast, UC Santa Barbara, UC San Diego Scripps Institute, community watch organizations and State marine law enforcement.

Beginning in 2018, Global Conservation began to establish a State-wide MPA Defense Network using marine radars, long-range cameras, cloud-based software and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to protect California’s fledgling MPA network.

Today, California is leading in the use of marine protection technology and systems, working with a strong network of communities, NGOs and enforcement officers to stop illegal fishing in California’s network of 124 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) created in 2012.

San Diego Marine Monitors located in South LaJolla and Scripps Marine Institute.

Using the Marine Monitor radar system, long range cameras, cloud-based software and AI alerts, the Encinitas Lifeguards arrested Electra’s captain and seized the vessel which had twelve paying customers illegally fishing inside Swami’s MPA. More impressive, unlike many charter fishing operators before who were let off the hook, Electra’s owner was prosecuted, pleaded guilty and sentenced to pay fines and was banned from entering the Swami’s MPA.

David Bess, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Deputy Director and Chief of the Law Enforcement Division stated: “We hope the Electra case disposition will send a message that commercial fishing in an MPA will be stopped by wildlife officers and will result in substantial fines.”

“We are thrilled to see the Marine Monitor radar system successfully used to prosecute and convict an illegal fishing operator in the court of law”, said Jeff Morgan, Executive Director of Global Conservation. “Based on success in California deploying technology against illegal fishing, we are scaling up Marine Monitor deployments to ten California MPAs and twenty international MPAs including Turneffe Atoll, Belize, Palau, Micronesia, Baja Sur, Mexico, and Machallia National Marine Park, Ecuador”.

“Low-cost marine radars are used on every boat, now we aim to deploy to protect every endangered MPA from illegal fishing, reef bombing, poisoning for restaurant and aquariums and illegal take of lobster, abalone and other endangered marine wildlife,” said Mr. Morgan.

By Global Conservation