Annual Report
Stop Illegal Fishing Annual Report 2024
The Stop Illegal Fishing (SIF) Annual Report 2024 highlights a year of progress, partnership, and transition in strengthening Africa’s response to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Building on two decades of regional cooperation, SIF continued to play a pivotal role in advancing transparency, policy reform, and operational capacity across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and beyond.
A defining moment in 2024 was the groundbreaking of the SADC Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Coordination Centre (MCSCC) in Maputo, Mozambique – a milestone in regional fisheries governance. SIF’s ongoing projects, including SADC Atlantic and Oceans Vigilance, remained central to strengthening the region’s capacity to conduct risk assessments, enhance information sharing, and develop the SADC Regional Register of Fishing Vessels (RRFV). Parallel efforts in West Africa through the West Africa Task Force (WATF) and engagement with the FAO International Plan of Action for the Management of Fishing Capacity (IPOA-Capacity) review reinforced SIF’s continental leadership in promoting coordinated, intelligence-led approaches to fisheries management.
SIF’s participation in key international fora such as Our Ocean 2024 and COFI 36 ensured that African perspectives continue to shape global fisheries policy. The year also reflected SIF’s enduring commitment to training and mentoring enforcement officers, expanding regional cooperation, and fostering good governance.
Amidst this progress, SIF paid tribute to Johannes Dirk (JD) Kotze, a dedicated colleague and champion of fisheries enforcement whose legacy continues to inspire the fight against IUU fishing across Africa. He will be sorely missed by the SIF team and many colleagues in Africa.
Overall, 2024 marked another strong year for SIF – one defined by consolidation of regional systems, deepened partnerships, and a shared vision for sustainable, transparent, and law-abiding fisheries across the continent.