Connecting with the US Department of State’s Safe Ocean Network

The State Department hosted a meeting on June 29-30, 2016 to further international engagement on its Safe Ocean Network (formerly known as the Sea Scout initiative) and to discuss pilot projects. Select pilot projects were announced at the 3rd Our Ocean conference hosted by Secretary of State John Kerry.

Secure Fisheries coordinated with the US Department of State, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to develop a project plan on detection and information-sharing as part of the State Department’s Safe Ocean Network. Robert Mazurek, Director of Secure Fisheries, presented a pilot project plan on Best Practices for Information Sharing and Collection by Forces Operating in the Indian Ocean together with UNODC.

The Safe Ocean Network is a global initiative aimed at combating all aspects of the fight against illegal fishing, including detection, enforcement, and prosecution. The initiative will strengthen monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) efforts through the integration of existing and emerging technologies, expanded use of internet-based tools, enhanced coordination and information sharing, and capacity building.