African entities have reported that more than half of the fish caught in the region falls into the category of illegal or unregulated fishing.
Chief Petty Officer John Pearl
Countries from West Africa, Europe, South America, and the United States have presented the 14th edition of 'Exercise Obangame Express 2025' (OE25) to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and the transnational crimes it generates.
According to the United States Navy, this is the largest maritime security exercise in West Africa and aims to improve regional law enforcement, communication, legal coordination, and naval interoperability in the Gulf of Guinea.
"IUU fishing poses a significant threat to the conservation and management of shared fish stocks, undermining the sustainability of fisheries and posing serious risks to marine ecosystems," warned Ambassador Robert Scott, Deputy to the Commander for Civil-Military Engagements, U.S. Africa Command.
African entities report that more than half of the fish caught in the region falls into the category of illegal or unregulated fishing. This results in an estimated annual cost of $11 billion, with the Gulf of Guinea alone accounting for nearly $2 billion in lost revenue.
For example, up to 90% of industrial fishing vessels in West Africa are suspected to be owned by foreign entities, primarily from China. Because they operate under legal flags, they often evade enforcement and funnel profits offshore.
OE25 is held in Cabo Verde and extends across five maritime zones, from Senegal to Angola, with the participation of over 100 U.S. personnel, including boarding teams and legal advisors.
This year, it includes 21 scenarios focused on illegal fishing, legal process simulations, and new cross-border interdiction exercises. It also places strong emphasis on evidence collection and the subsequent prosecution of cases.
Moreover, the U.S. Coast Guard and interagency experts have designed legal tabletop exercises to help African countries apply the law and operate under the Yaoundé Code of Conduct, a regional security framework signed by 25 West and Central African countries.
The countries participating in this initiative are: Angola, Benin, Belgium, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, France, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Italy, Liberia, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, Republic of the Congo, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Spain, Togo, United Kingdom, and the United States.
