Tackling Illegal Fishing Practices Through Improved Technology Solutions

Kumbatia Seafood is dedicated to promoting more sustainable fishing practices along the East African coastline and recognizes the critical need for effective enforcement against illegal fishing.

Recent research, utilizing AI and satellite imagery and led by Global Fishing Watch, has uncovered alarming findings: 75% of the world’s industrial fishing vessels operate outside public oversight, with significant activity occurring within Africa’s waters.

While this report sheds light on industrial fishing practices, illegal fishing activities persist widely across the small-scale artisanal fishing fleet in East Africa. Unsustainable methods, such as beach seines and ring nets, pose threats to coral reefs, seagrass beds, and critical juvenile fish species due to extensive bycatch. 

Kumbatia is committed to leveraging available technologies to combat this trend within the artisanal fishing fleet. We strive to incorporate traceability and vessel monitoring systems to foster more sustainable practices within the communities we serve.

However, addressing these issues requires collective effort. We hope that innovative AI and machine learning-powered tracking and monitoring systems, developed by like-minded partners such as Global Fishing Watch, will empower local governmental actors, researchers, and stakeholders to identify illegal fishing hotspots, protect artisanal fishing territories, and enhance maritime enforcement efforts.

Together, let's ensure a responsible and prosperous future for marine ecosystems.🐟