Combatting Illegal Fishing It is estimated that one in five fish caught has been fished illegally, the product of an illicit global business worth an estimated $23 billion each year. Large fishing vessels, operating far from land and the eyes of the authorities, plunder tuna and other high value catches wherever they can find them. Off-loading their catch to factory ships, which re-supply them with food and fuel, fishing boats can stay at sea for years. The cost is not just financial; crews are often kept on board against their will, economic slaves. The challenge of finding the criminals and gathering evidence against them in the middle of an ocean is described by Koebel Sakuma, adviser to Palau’s president, “We’re a small country with limited resources and we’re responsible for patrolling a vast area with one vessel donated by Australia.” The Pew Charitable Trusts, a US based Non-Government Organisation (NGO) approached the Satellite Applications Catapult to see how space
