Aquascope e.V.

About us

Aquascope encourages the exchange of knowledge, skills and information to combat Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.
We act as an international platform to combine modern-day technology with traditional ship-based surveillance measures.

IUU fisheries are one of the greatest threats to our oceans. The consequences that these criminal operations have on global fish populations, the ecosystem as a whole, coastal communities and (socio-) economic development are devastating. Estimated numbers of global IUU catch sizes show us that not enough is being done to uphold and enforce environmental law at sea. There's an urgent need for better, more efficient and cost-worthy technology to replace traditional monitoring systems.

Aquascope brings together technological experts, conservation groups, passionate individuals and governments to work on new ideas and provides them with the incentive to implement improved monitoring and enforcement systems.

We believe in sharing skills and knowledge. The more parties we bring together to work towards this common goal, the more effective we will be at protecting our oceans.

How we do it
Aquascope adapts, redesigns and amends existing technology for utilization in the field of marine conservation. The detection and surveillance of IUU fishing vessels, monitoring of Exclusive Economy Zones (EEZs) and geo-fencing of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) must improve significantly if we are to protect life in the oceans from extinction. We strive to increase the proficiency and capacity to monitor and control IUU fishing in line with a standard suitable for today’s age of technology and information processing.

Aquascope has teamed up with scientists and a range of experts to explore the technologies necessary to develop cost-effective marine conservation solutions. We collaborate with other conservation groups and governments to determine at-risk areas and feasible measures for their protection.

There are many ways to address the problem of IUU fishing. We must investigate the possibilities and embrace the tools and knowledge at our disposal. Aquascope is looking at land and ship-based monitoring schemes and systems capable of operation in different weather and geographical regions.
Our field of work stretches from underwater gliders, hydrophones, HF radars, satellites to radio technology and beyond.

Aquascope advocates effective use of technology, information and capabilities of the modern world to combat IUU fishing.

Who we are
Aquascope is a charitable non-government, non-profit organization registered in Germany. Since early 2015 our dedicated team of international staff and volunteers has been working on new means to combat IUU fishing.

Aquascope was founded by long-standing friends and professionals in marine conservation. After many years of fighting for the protection of the intriguing, and still largely unknown, world beneath the waves, the alarming menace by IUU fisheries became plainly apparent. Looking around for counter-IUU measures in place, no satisfactory solutions were found. Aquascope was started to fill this void by developing innovative monitoring and enforcement systems.

Within Aquascope we combine maritime skills and knowledge, technological capabilities with expertise on the topic of IUU fishing and our many years of experience in marine conservation. With that we are able to tackle the problem on several levels by developing efficient, thought out and feasible solutions and by being able to follow through projects.

Our team has been steadily growing. We are moved by the amount of supporters and partners that joined us over the last months. The encouraging response makes us confident that we address the concerns of many and will succeed in clamping down on IUU fisheries.

Aquascope works across borders and oceans, taking great pride in our work and passionately striving towards achieving the goals set out in our mission statement. The Aquascope team is delighted to invest their time and skills into the protection of marine wildlife!

What’s the problem?
Our oceans are in peril. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that 91.1% of the world’s fisheries are either fully exploited or overexploited. With the introduction of modern industrial fishing techniques the industry has reached a crushing overcapacity that has already decimated a vast range of global fish populations.

The impact of mismanaged legal fisheries on marine biodiversity is enough cause for concern without the environmental degradation caused by Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. Unauthorized and uncontrolled fishing allows vulnerable fish populations very little, if any, time to recover from legal overfishing, worsening an already dire situation.

The sheer vastness of our oceans (71% of the Earth’s surface) combined with an alarming lack of internationally recognized and reinforced regulations to conserve and protect marine living resources, greatly amplifies the scale and severity of this issue.

FAO estimates that catches within IUU fisheries can be as high as 26 million tons per year with an estimated value of up to U$23 billion. This suggests that IUU fisheries are the biggest player in global fisheries.

China stands alone as having the biggest legal marine and inland fishery production with 16.2 million tons of fish and seafood being processed in 2012. Total global legal marine and inland fishery production reached 91.3 million tons in 2012. This leaves IUU fisheries responsible for a quarter of the fisheries catch taken worldwide. FAO estimates that in some important fisheries, IUU fishing may even account for up to 30 percent of total catches; in one instance FAO has indicated that IUU catches could be as high as three times the designated quota. It is undeniable that the current level of fisheries exploitation is unsustainable.

IUU fishing activities are a threat not only in regard to depletion of fish stocks and the destruction of global marine eco-systems, but also to the livelihood of coastal communities, the fishing industry, (socio-) economic development and maritime safety.

Illegal fishing is one of the biggest threats to our oceans. Aquascope has teamed up with scientists and a range of experts to explore the technologies necessary to develop cost-effective marine conservation solutions. We collaborate with other conservation groups and governments to determine at-risk areas and feasible measures for their protection.

Aquascope is looking at land and ship-based monitoring schemes and systems capable of operation in different weather and geographical regions.
Our field of work stretches from underwater gliders, hydrophones, HF radars, satellites to radio technology and beyond.

Aquascope advocates effective use of technology, information and capabilities of the modern world to combat IUU fishing.

Please visit us at www.aquascope.org !