History

2007 – Stop Illegal Fishing is launched with funding from the UK’s Department for International Development (DfID) with the specific aim to support a Southern African political commitment to stop illegal fishing.

2008 – Stop Illegal Fishing organise the 2008 Southern African Development Community (SADC) Ministerial Conference which results in the 2008 SADC Statement of Commitment to Stop Illegal Fishing.

2009 – Stop Illegal Fishing become a core component of the Partnership for African Fisheries which was established with DfID funding and was coordinated by the African Union’s New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD).

Stop Illegal Fishing technically advise the African Voice at the United Nations Committee on Fisheries, something it has continued to do since. Bringing evidence based advice and a coherent voice to the African Group in this international process.

2012 – The FISH-i Africa Task Force is established with five founding members, Comoros, Kenya, Mozambique, Seychelles and Tanzania. This is considered a pioneer endeavour operating outside of traditional political structures FISH-i has facilitated information sharing and regional cooperation that has led to significant enforcement actions and increased compliance in the region. FISH-i has expanded since 2012 and with the addition of Madagascar, Mauritius and Somalia now has eight members.

2013 – Stop Illegal Fishing is established as an independent not-for-profit organisation, registered in Botswana. A constitution outlining the main focus areas, organisational and operational structures is developed. Stop Illegal Fishing has maintained its long-term commitment to strengthen cooperation and coordination between governments and partners in order to support the African Union’s and NEPAD Planning and Coordination Agency’s agendas and other pan-African and international processes to stop illegal fishing in African waters.

This new status enables Stop Illegal Fishing to attract independent funding to support our on the ground investigations, awareness campaigns and regional capacity building.

2014 –Stop Illegal Fishing receive an award at the IMCS Network’s Stop IUU Fishing Award Contest, recognising Stop Illegal Fishing’s major and unique contribution in Africa’s efforts to overcome illegal fishing.

2015 – Based on the success of FISH-i Africa a West Africa Task Force to stop illegal fishing is established with the six FCWC member countries of Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Togo. A Technical Team made up of the FCWC Secretariat, Trygg Mat Tracking, Stop Illegal Fishing and NFDS, with funding from Norad, supports the WATF.

Stop Illegal Fishing, working with South Africa’s Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries and PescaDOLUS organise the First International Symposium on FishCRIME. Bringing together 200 participants from 31 countries the Symposium increased awareness of the issues and considered options for tackling fisheries crime.

Stop Illegal Fishing are awarded the 2014-2015 Margarita Lizárraga Medal. Awarded biennially by the FAO, the award recognises those who have served with distinction in the application of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. SIF’s achievements were described as ‘outstanding, practical, tangible and sustainable as well as catalytic’ by the FAO.

2016 – Stop Illegal Fishing launch two new initiatives: VISIBLE is our campaign to make sure that fishing vessels cannot hide behind false identities and the Stop Illegal Fishing Investigative Unit formalizes the work we have been doing over the last decade to support investigations into illegal fishing and to bring the offenders to justice.