Maritime Domain Awareness Contract Awarded to HawkEye 360

A contract for a pilot program to provide greater maritime domain awareness in support of Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) efforts has been awarded by the Commonwealth of Australia to HawkEye 360. The program is designed to detect and prevent Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

“The Pacific Islands encompass a vast and highly trafficked region with rich fisheries resources that present complex challenges for maritime domain awareness.”

Alex Fox, HawkEye 360.

The contract was awarded by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) for the provision of HawkEye 360’s satellite RF maritime analytics and training through 2023.

“The Pacific Islands encompass a vast and highly trafficked region with rich fisheries resources that present complex challenges for maritime domain awareness,” said Alex Fox, Chief Growth Officer for HawkEye 360. “We are proud to partner with the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), through support from the Australian Government, to deliver a clearer picture of maritime activity that benefits all Pacific Island countries in their efforts to combat IUU fishing and respond to climate and humanitarian events.”

HawkEye 360 RF Data Supports Maritime Domain Awareness

HawkEye 360 will work in collaboration with the FFA and its members to provide RF data, analytics, and training to identify illicit maritime activity within their waters and help secure the ongoing sustainability of the region’s tuna resources. This includes potential IUU fishing and the detection of maritime activity not detectable by Automatic Identification Systems (AIS). The FFA, which was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in the Solomon Islands, assists its 17 member countries in the region with sustainably managing their tuna fisheries.

This maritime domain awareness contract award reflects Australia’s continued commitment and regional leadership for combating IUU fishing as part of the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA), an initiative focused on providing shared technology, training, and insight into activity in three critical regions: the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean. The leaders of the Quad nations—Australia, India, Japan, and the United States—announced the initiative in 2022. The Quad is a diplomatic network between nations dedicated to supporting an open, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

HawkEye 360 is proud to support Australia and the IPMDA in their efforts to promote stability and prosperity in the region through shared maritime domain awareness.

(Source: HawkEye 360 news release. Images provided and from file)