ThayerMahan’s autonomous systems prove capable of identifying, localizing and reporting IUU fishing

December 10, 2020

During operational testing and evaluation, ThayerMahan Inc. demonstrated that its Outpost and SeaWatch autonomous systems could identify, localize, and report illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which has replaced piracy as the leading global maritime security threat according to the US Coast Guard’s Strategic Outlook on IUU Fishing released earlier this year.
ThayerMahan demonstrated that its systems could detect and pinpoint fishing vessels based on their acoustic signature and electronic information during operations off Cape Cod and Key West. Compared with manned ships and aircraft such as those owned and operated by government and law enforcement agencies, a persistent unmanned search, detection, and reporting capability can be significantly cheaper for these operations, ThayerMahan says.
Persistent surveillance such as what ThayerMahan systems provided can help counter illegal fishing activities that threaten natural resources and economic livelihoods. ThayerMahan says that using unmanned systems at scale provides extensive geographic coverage at a fraction of the cost of traditional monitoring capabilities.
“Operational testing verified our unmanned systems can detect, localize and monitor IUU fishing vessels,” says ThayerMahan President and CEO, Mike Connor.
“Our systems provide a cost-effective way to deter illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing that threatens our ocean’s ecosystem and sustainable fisheries.”