Fisheries intelligence experts, Trygg Mat Tracking (TMT), have launched a new Combined IUU Vessel List website, with new functions and richer data, to give users even better access to regularly updated, high quality information on IUU-listed fishing vessels.

The Combined IUU Vessel List www.iuu-vessels.org aims to provide the best available, up to date information on all vessels that appear on the lists of IUU fishing vessels published by Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs), as well as fishing vessels that have been subject to a public Interpol Purple Notice. The site enables users to access all currently IUU listed vessels in one location and view detailed, up to date vessel information. Delisted vessels are retained on the site, so that it represents a complete record of all RFMO IUU listings.

Fishing vessels and the companies that operate them regularly change identities, ownership, and fishing locations. Those changes can be legitimate, but they can also be a way for illegal operators to avoid detection. High-risk fishing operators frequently change the identities of their vessels; for example, a vessel called ANDREY DOLGOV was IUU listed by CCAMLR in October 2016; since then it has used three other names and flags, and is currently operating as the STS-50. Another IUU-listed vessel, currently called the ATLANTIC WIND, has changed name and flag every year since 2010.

The challenge is that the RFMO IUU lists and Interpol Purple Notices may not be updated as vessels change name, flag and other identifiers. Whilst some RFMO IUU lists are kept up to date, others are only updated annually and some only provide the vessel information as it was originally officially listed. If an IUU-listed vessel changes identity, it is extremely difficult for it to be identified as high risk if it enters port, applies for a license, sells fish into a supply chain, or applies for insurance.

Trygg Mat Tracking www.tm-tracking.org maintains the Combined IUU Vessel List www.iuu-vessels.org to improve the effectiveness of the RFMO IUU lists as a tool to combat illegal fishing and broader fisheries crime. The site is used by national authorities, intergovernmental organisations, companies and service providers to support their work to tackle illegal fishing, and is a valuable resource for academics, NGOs and others involved in researching IUU fishing.

New functions of the Combined IUU Vessel List include:

• A new interface and fast search functionality
• Last known vessel position for vessels that are currently tracking on AIS
• Richer historic information
• Users are also now able to easily download current information for all vessels contained on the site, to support their needs and analysis.

The Combined IUU Vessel List is directly linked to TMT’s internal Fisheries Analytical Capacity Tool (FACT) www.tm-tracking.org/tools which aims to contain the best-available identity and operational information and compliance history for vessels and companies in the global industrial fishing fleet. FACT is constantly updated with new information from a wide variety of structured, unstructured and field-based sources, enabling TMT to keep vessel and company details up to date, even as names, flags and other identifiers change.

Duncan Copeland, Executive Director of TMT, says “Trygg Mat Tracking has maintained the Combined IUU List as a public service since its launch in 2012 and seen usage grow significantly in recent years. We hope that the relaunched site will strengthen its use as a valuable tool for countries and organisations engaged in the fight against IUU fishing”.

Contact Details: Duncan Copeland dcopeland@tm-tracking.org / +44 7946940943

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

What is the Combined IUU List?

The Combined IUU List is a website maintained by TMT as a public service. It contains all fishing vessels currently or historically IUU listed by a Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (RFMO), and fishing vessels that have been subject to a public Interpol Purple Notice. It enables users to access IUU listing information from all RFMOs on a single site, and often contains more up to date vessel identity information (e.g. name, flag, callsign) than the RFMO IUU lists, some of which are only updated once per year.

The Combined IUU List has been around for a while. What’s new?

The new version of the Combined IUU List has an updated, easier to use interface, contains richer information for users, and is designed to directly reflect information contained in TMT’s internal fisheries analytical system and database FACT. New information on the site includes more vessel photographs, a last known position for vessels that are currently tracking on AIS, and richer historic information (operators, national registration numbers). TMT have also added a download function, so that users can download current information for all vessels contained on the site in Excel format, so that it can be more easily incorporated into daily work or research. Finally, integration of the Combined IUU List with FACT means that TMT will be better able to keep vessel identity and ownership information up to date, as FACT is updated weekly from a number of key information sources.

Where is the information on the Combined IUU List sourced from?

Information on the Combined IUU List is sourced from a variety of sources, including online vessel databases, national governments, photographic evidence, field reports and other sources.

How does TMT ensure that the information on the Combined IUU List is correct?

TMT makes every effort to ensure that information contained on the Combined IUU List is correct and up to date. The decision on whether to include information is based on the reliability of the source, and verification against other information sources, including photos and documents where possible. However, while TMT strives to ensure that all information on the site is correct, this cannot be guaranteed. If a user believes that any information contained on this site is incorrect, or has additional/updated information to share, please contact TMT so that the site can be updated (see below for how to contact TMT).

How often is the information on the Combined IUU List updated?

The majority of RFMOs add or remove vessels from their IUU Lists once or twice per year, at Commission meetings or other specified dates. TMT monitors output from meetings and RFMO IUU Lists online to ensure that the correct vessels are reflected on the Combined IUU List as lists are updated.

Vessel details, such as name, flag, callsign and owner, are updated on the site throughout the year, as new information is identified. Key information sources are monitored on a weekly basis to ensure that changes to vessel name, flag and other information are reflected on the site as soon as possible.

Why are vessels that are no longer IUU listed still included on the Combined IUU List?

When a vessel is removed from an RFMO IUU List – often because it has changed ownership, sunk or been scrapped – it is retained on the Combined IUU List. Vessel information continues to be updated, but the vessel is clearly marked as DELISTED. This means that the Combined IUU List provides a full historic record of IUU listing of vessels by RFMOs, which has value for authorities, academics and others researching the use of RFMO IUU Lists. Filters and indicators are provided on the site, to enable users to clearly distinguish between currently and formerly IUU listed vessels.

Does the Combined IUU List include all vessels that have been subject to an Interpol Purple Notice?

Not necessarily. Interpol provides public versions of some, but not all, notices that it issues. Where a public version of a Purple Notice relating to a fishing vessel is available, this information is included on the Combined IUU List. Where no public version has been made available, the vessel in question may not be included on the site.

The Combined IUU List has a link to a Purple Notice that I didn’t find on the Interpol site, why is that?

Some public Purple Notices were historically made available on the public Interpol website but have since been removed. The Combined IUU List provides links to these – which have either been uploaded directly to the Combined IUU List site or, in some cases, are available in other sources (e.g. RFMO websites). No non-public Interpol Notices are accessible through the Combined IUU List site.

When I click on the name of the listing RFMO on a vessel’s page, I am sometimes taken to that RFMO’s IUU List and sometimes to another page. Why is that?

RFMOs vary in the amount of information they make publicly available regarding IUU listed vessels. Some RFMOs publish detailed vessel profiles, or make available documents related to the vessel’s listing. Other RFMOs have a single IUU list page, which provides only basic information on each vessel. Where more detailed information is available, TMT links to that. Where it is not available, TMT provides a link to the IUU list homepage. Some RFMOs make historic IUU lists available online – where this is the case, TMT provides the link to the relevant year’s list for vessels that are no longer IUU listed.

The owner/flag/callsign information for vessel A is incorrect, or I have some new information on vessel B that should be on the site.

Thank you for alerting TMT. If you think any information on the Combined IUU list is incorrect or out of date, please let us know at info@tm-tracking.org or through the contact form available on the website. If you wish to share information, including photos or documents, anonymously this can be done via https://www.tm-tracking.org/share-fisheries-information. The users of the Combined IUU List are a valuable source of information and TMT appreciates your support to keep the site accurate.

Is the Combined IUU List a list of all known IUU fishing vessels?

No. The Combined IUU List contains vessels that are currently or have in the past been IUU listed by an RFMO, or have been subject to an Interpol Purple Notice. This represents only a small proportion of the vessels that engage in IUU fishing globally. Reasons why an IUU vessel might not be included on an RFMO IUU list include: the vessel was convicted of IUU fishing and paid its fine, to the satisfaction of the State concerned; the vessel was engaged in a fishery not included in the remit of any RFMO; the vessel was proposed for listing in an RFMO that makes listing decisions on the basis of consensus, and members did not achieve consensus to list the vessel; the IUU fishing was not detected, or could not be proven to the satisfaction of the relevant authorities. TMT is monitoring compliance histories of fishing vessels that are not IUU listed, which are recorded in its broader fisheries analytical system FACT. These are not made publicly available, but TMT can be contacted at info@tm-tracking.org with a request for information. Please note however that there may be limits on what information can be shared