Surrey engineers help Mauritius spot illegal fishing from space

Authorities in Mauritius will begin combatting illegal fishing with satellite technology thanks to a partnership between the University of Surrey and the Mauritius Research and Innovation Council (MRIC).  

The Nereus project combines satellite images with other ship location data. It uses AI to detect anomalies, spotting ships of interest and working out where they are headed.

Authorities can then check whether illegal fishing is taking place.

Dr Raffaella Guida, reader in satellite remote sensing at the university’s Surrey Space Centre, said: “Catching vessels illegally fishing off an island such as those of Mauritius can be like finding a needle in a haystack.

“With our expertise in satellite data, we’ve been able to find a solution that identifies areas more at risk and supports the detection of suspicious behaviours at sea.

“This is an exciting milestone in this rewarding project – we’re looking forward to seeing how our partners in Mauritius use it to protect their precious marine environment.”

Nereus, funded by the UN Development Programme’s Ocean Innovation Challenge, enables Mauritius to detect illegal maritime activity in near-real time.

A plugin developed at the University of Surrey gives the coastguard access to Nereus as they access live satellite data.

This will help them detect suspicious activity more precisely and then investigate it.

As the project nears completion, it will be celebrated at Mauritius’s first International Space Symposium on 18 April.  

Dr Vickram Bissonauth, director of research at the MRIC, said: “Three years after Mauritius launched its first satellite, we’re proud to deploy our first downstream application of satellite data through Nereus.

“This is a concrete example of how space technology research can help us in addressing challenges we face as a small island developing state.   

“Mauritius is ideally located, connected and equipped to build a thriving space sector.

“We’re looking forward to a bright future of extra-terrestrial exploration.”

Dr Mary Matthews from the UN Development Programme added: “Illegal fishing is a multifaceted threat impacting economies, livelihoods and nature.  

“UNDP supports frontline solutions and working with Mauritius through the Surrey Space Centre, and MRIC allowed us to use the transformative power of technology and develop vital tools to combat this issue.

“Nereus brings new hope to the fight against illegal fishing.”