Kenyan environmental groups and local fishermen are finding dead fish washed ashore, habitats damaged and equipment destroyed.  So-called ‘Phantom ships’ have been entering into East African countries’ territorial waters unannounced, and leaving with more than they declare.

Kenyan authorities have long lacked the means to do much about illegal fishing, but they hope a series of new measures will help them put an end to what is described as piracy and pillaging.

This is the first of three RFI radio reports of illegal industrial fishing in African waters.

Listen to Part II on how industrial fishers cook the books and under-report their catch.

In Part III, I board Greenpeace’s “Esperanza”, which tracks illegal fishers along the West African coast.