Tip and Cue Case Study

Entry Event Triggers Largest MPA Seizure in National History

Challenge

Panama’s Ministry of Environment needed better visibility into potential illegal fishing in the Cordillera de Coiba MPA — a remote no-take zone with limited on-water patrol coverage. Vessels had been observed entering the area without broadcasting AIS, raising concern but leaving little actionable confirmation.

Our Approach

Through the Joint Analytical Cell (JAC), Panama requested Skylight support to monitor its protected zone. To assist with this, partners configured the system to automatically trigger high-resolution satellite imagery whenever a vessel entered the area without AIS, enabling timely visual insight for enforcement teams.

What We Found

Imagery tipped on January 17 showed 16 longliners inside the MPA, some with indicators of active fishing. Several vessels had gone “dark,” disabling both AIS and VMS tracking.

Click on the image to expand. High-resolution satellite image of a suspected dark vessel near Panama’s protected waters, as viewed in Skylight. The image, provided by Maxar Technologies, was automatically cued after a vessel entered the zone without AIS.

Outcome

Panama’s enforcement agencies coordinated a rapid response, resulting in the seizure of six vessels and investigations into ten more — the largest illegal fishing bust in the history of Panama’s marine protected areas.

Location
Panama
Event Tipped
Entry Event
Location
Galápagos Islands
Archipelago in Ecuador
Location
Galápagos Islands
Archipelago in Ecuador