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Australia Ramps Up Maritime Surveillance and Training to Tackle Illegal Fishing in Southeast Asia

AUSTRIA
Monday, November 03, 2025, 00:10 (GMT + 9)

Canberra commits to advanced technology and capacity-building to protect ASEAN's threatened marine resources and coastal livelihoods, combatting a crime costing the region billions annually.

CANBERRA – Australia is significantly boosting its technical cooperation and surveillance support for Malaysia and other Southeast Asian nations in a concerted effort to curb the menace of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. This transnational crime poses a severe threat to maritime security, precious marine food resources, and the livelihoods of coastal communities across the region.

Available estimates indicate that financial losses from IUU fishing across selected Member States amounted to approximately 6 billion US dollars. Source: The Asean

IUU fishing in Southeast Asia is not just an environmental issue; it is an economic and humanitarian one. Estimates suggest that this illegal activity costs countries in the region billions of US dollars annually and is frequently linked to other transnational crimes like human trafficking, forced labour, and the smuggling of arms and drugs. The clandestine nature of these operations endangers marine biodiversity, compromises ecosystems like coral reefs, and undermines global efforts toward sustainable fisheries management.

Tech and Training to Track ‘Dark Vessels’

The strengthened support focuses on providing advanced technological and training capabilities. David Power, Senior Manager at the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA), detailed the initiative during a briefing to participants of the Southeast Asia Maritime Media Visits Programme (SEAMMVP) in Canberra on Thursday, October 31.

Key components of the enhanced support include:

• Advanced Surveillance: Implementing sophisticated vessel-monitoring systems (VMS) and satellite-based maritime domain awareness to enable real-time tracking of fishing activity.

• "Dark Vessel" Detection: Working with regional partners, including through the Quad Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness Initiative (IPMDA), to improve the detection of "dark vessels"—boats operating without transmitting their location signals. Australia is expanding satellite-based tools that detect radio frequencies and optical signatures from these vessels to strengthen early warning and coordinated responses.

• Enforcement Training: Delivering crucial capacity-building, including training for Malaysian and ASEAN fisheries officers in risk-based compliance, port-state inspection principles, and regional Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) operations.

  "We have had strong programmes with Malaysia on strengthening vessel-monitoring systems, which are fundamental to real-time tracking and oversight of fishing activity," Power stated. "This capability helps authorities identify suspicious movement, target enforcement and build a clear picture of activities at sea."

Forging a Regional Network

Australian funding, channeled through the Southeast Asia IUU Fishing Programme, has facilitated joint courses for enforcement agencies across ASEAN, including Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines. This support enhances coordinated responses to maritime threats.

AFMA also leads a programme that builds a critical network of enforcement officers across ASEAN. Officers from Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines attend multi-week MCS training blocks, which combine classroom modules with practical at-sea exercises and port-inspection drills.

"Cooperation among peers accelerates intelligence-sharing and enforcement action," Power added, emphasizing the value of this regional network.

The initiative also promotes inclusive participation in fisheries governance, advocating for greater roles for women in maritime enforcement and the recognition of Indigenous knowledge in ecosystem-based management.

Shared Challenge, Shared Solution

Australia's efforts are conducted under the framework of the Regional Plan of Action to Combat IUU Fishing (RPOA-IUU), a non-binding instrument initially endorsed in 2007 by 11 countries in the region, including Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Source: Centro de Desarrollo Pesquero del Sudeste Asiático (SEAFDEC)

While threats from large commercial IUU vessels have decreased due to stronger enforcement frameworks, the region now faces growing pressure from small-scale vessels forced offshore by depleted fish stocks and the impacts of climate change.

Power concluded that Malaysia is well-positioned to advance regional enforcement cooperation, particularly in promoting data-sharing, fisheries surveillance, and coordinated port-state inspections. "Regional cooperation remains essential because illegal fishing is a shared challenge. By working together, countries can protect marine resources, ensure food security and uphold maritime rules in line with UNCLOS (the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea)."

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