News & Updates

As the 2026 Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa came to a close, one message was clear across discussions on fisheries governance, maritime security and ocean sustainability: no country can tackle illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing alone. Hosted in Africa for the first time, the conference placed strong emphasis on regional cooperation, transparency and African-led solutions. Across plenary sessions, side events and bilateral discussions, participants highlighted t

By Gareth Johnstone and Duncan Copeland Every day, consumers around the world buy seafood believing it was legally caught and responsibly sourced. In many cases, that confidence is justified. Governments, seafood companies, certification schemes and civil society organisations have invested heavily in traceability systems designed to improve transparency and accountability across seafood supply chains. Yet, when an estimated 1 in every 5 fish is caught illegally, there is a q

Across Africa’s coastal regions, fisheries authorities are confronting a shared reality. Fishing fleets are highly mobile, and vessels shift between regions, change flags, and operate across multiple jurisdictions. No single country or region can effectively respond on its own. In 2025 alone, every case reviewed by the Intelligence-led fisheries port controls programme , involved at least two African sub-regions, and sometimes partners beyond the continent. Progress through c