Detection by an albatross sentinel of a vessel probably engaged in IUU activity in 2019 over Banzare Bank, subarea 58.4.3b

The remoteness of the CCAMLR Area causes significant challenges to limit illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. A recent CCAMLR circular submitted by Australia (COMM CIRC 23/61) summarized various pieces of evidence pointing to one vessel strongly suspected of IUU in subarea 58.4.3b in February 2020. Here, we found further evidence of IUU activities over subarea 58.4.3b from the “Ocean Sentinels” research program and use this case to illustrate the advantages and limits of a bird-based surveillance approach. Between 2016 and 2019, 16 albatrosses equipped with loggers combining a GPS with a radar-detector patrolled over the subarea 58.4.3b, for a total of 896 h during daylight (ca. 37 days) in January-March. Two birds detected radars, one in 2018 and one in 2019, both very close to where illegal fishing gears were found in 2020 by Australian Research Vessel (RV) AURORA AUSTRALIS. At least in 2019 the interaction was not associated with AIS, and it lasted several hours, highly suggestive of IUU fishing. Our results help estimate the extent and location of IUU activities within subarea 58.4.3b across recent years. The “Ocean sentinel” program does not provide vessel ID, so its use in legal actions will often be limited. We provide some recommendations to help make the most of such bird-surveillance data outside academia. We suggest the development and support of an international database to enhance easy access to archives of animal-surveillance data by non-specialists.