The US Department of Defense has released an exceptional recording taken over the South Pacific Ocean. The image shows countless night fishing vessels reaching the horizon in all directions. The US Coast Guard’s air patrols, during which this video was recorded, aim to facilitate control of these ships, some of which contribute to the destruction of marine ecosystems.
The U.S. Coast Guard began conducting air and sea missions off the coast of Peru in mid-October. The missions carried out as part of Operation Southern Shield are aimed at combating illegal fishing and the transfer of marine resources in the South Pacific. The US Department of Defense announced the end of one of the first missions of this kind on Sunday.
The post read: “What a sight! A US Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircraft, patrolling the eastern Pacific Ocean as part of Operation Southern Shield, conducted a night flyby, showing the vast area occupied by the high seas fishing fleet southwest of Peru.” “. Including recording of the machine’s journey. You can see countless lights of fishing boats fishing at night reaching the horizon in all directions.
Overfishing in the Pacific Ocean
The US patrol was part of an effort to combat illegal, unreported and uncontrolled fishing in the South Pacific. Several observation flights of this type are organized by the US Coast Guard every day, which facilitates, among other things: the conduct of inspections of fishing vessels and their cargo. It is estimated that large-scale illegal fishing resulting in the destruction of marine ecosystems is currently one of the largest global marine threats. Hunting outside a country’s exclusive economic zones often violates applicable laws and regulations because it is beyond the reach of most agencies.
Missions such as night patrols of the US Coast Guard are organized to fill this gap and strengthen control of this type of fishing. As reported, more than 400 fishing and transport vessels are currently operating in the controlled part of the Pacific Ocean, many of which have not called in port for several years. These specialized fishing units are supplied in bulk, hundreds of kilometers from the coast, so that they do not have to interrupt their work, through supply ships circulating between them.
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Operation Southern Shield
The US Coast Guard’s missions under Operation Southern Shield are the result of a new international agreement within the South Pacific Fisheries Management Organization (SPRFMO). This organization was founded in 2012 to protect the long-term marine ecosystems of the South Pacific and ensure the sustainable use of their resources. Its members include, among others: the United States of America, the European Union, China, Russia, Australia, Peru, Ecuador and South Korea.
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US Department of Defense, tvn24.pl
Main image source: Twitter – Ministry of Defence
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