Operation Sola Stella

Sea Shepherd combats illegal fishing in Liberia, West Africa

Operation Sola Stella
A partnership to combat illegal fishing in Liberia

In February 2017, Sea Shepherd Global launched a campaign in partnership with the Liberian Ministry of National Defense to fight illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the West African coastal waters of Liberia. The campaign has been named Operation Sola Stella, which is Latin for ‘Lone Star’, the motto for the Republic of Liberia. 

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Assisting Liberia in the fight against IUU fishing

Developing countries are particularly vulnerable to IUU fishing, which accounts for up to 40% of the fish caught in West African waters. The resources of the Liberian Coast Guard to monitor, control and surveil all of Liberia’s sovereign waters are stretched. Sea Shepherd's mission is to assist them in identifying and arresting the unlicensed foreign industrial vessels operating in its waters, and to protect the six nautical miles closest to shore reserved for subsistence, artisanal and semi-artisanal fishing, an industry which employs 33,000 Liberians. 

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Latest Campaign News
“They Ate Cats for Lunch”, harrowing tales from one of two trawlers arrested off Liberia

October 31st, 2022 - Four cats designated as food for the crew were found on board one of two fishing trawlers arrested off the coast of West Africa by a Liberian Coast Guard detachment stationed onboard the Sea Shepherd Global ship Age of Union.  

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