For the first time, AI technology and a network of marine radars have been used to secure a conviction against illegal fishing in Marine Protected Areas by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in San Diego courts.

California is now on the leading edge in using advanced technology to protect against illegal fishing. 24/7 surveillance using marine radars, cloud-based monitoring and artificial intelligence (AI) is helping to protect California's 124 Marine Protected Areas and 3,000 miles of coastline protecting endangered and threatened species and the multi-billion-dollar fishing industry.  

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 a permitted commercial operator in a California Marine Protected Area (MPA).

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



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

Global Conservation has been funding the deployment of a 'Marine Defense Network' of marine radars to protect California and Global 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 from this new 'Marine Defense Network' of a well-known permitted 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 Monitor radar from their beach station, the Electra fishing charter was arrested by California's Law Enforcement Division of the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

For more information on Global Conservation's Marine Protection work around the world, see- GC Marine Protection.