The ‘Red Lancers’ of Patrol Squadron 10 Help Deter Illegal Fishing in Palau

Photo By Petty Officer 3rd Class Nathan Morin | KOROR, Palau (March 11, 2017) The Red Lancers of Patrol Squadron Ten (VP-10) pose in front of the P-8A with their Maritime Surveillance Coordinator after arriving on detachment in Palau. The Red Lancers flew to Palau to participate in Rai Balang, a Forum Fisheries Agency operation that conducted surveillance missions to deter illegal fishing in their national waters and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist 3rd Class Nathan Morin/Released)  

KOROR, PALAU

03.19.2017

Courtesy Story

Patrol Squadron (VP) 10

KOROR, Palau (Mar. 19, 2017) – The “Red Lancers” of Patrol Squadron Ten (VP-10) participated in an illegal fishing interdiction operation with the Republic of Palau, Mar. 10-18. The 21 members of Combat Air Crew Two (CAC-2), VP-10’s Palau detachment conducted four surveillance missions during operation Rai Balang, identifying and reporting more than 71 vessels over the course of a week.

“It was eye-opening to see the number of suspect fishing vessels that we found within Palau’s EEZ,” said the detachment Officer-in-Charge Lt. Jeffrey Muenchrath. “During one flight alone, we reported close to almost 20 vessels to the PSS Remeliik. Over the course of all the operational flights we conducted, I felt like we made a significant impact on the illegal fishing operations around Palau.”

Operation Rai Balang is part of the Pacific Island Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA)’s mission “to drive regional cooperation to create and enable the maximum long term social and economic benefit from the sustainable use of our shared offshore fishery resources.” Palau is one of seventeen island nations that make up the FFA, and all of the participating nations are committed to ensuring fishing conservation throughout their national waters, exclusive economic zones and
beyond.

Throughout their surveillance, CAC-2 surveyed over 253,000 square miles of open ocean and coordinated with a Palauan Patrol Boat, the PSS Remeliik, to report suspected illegal fishing vessels. During coordinated operations with the Remeliik and the FFA, sensor operators onboard VP-10’s P-8A ‘Poseidon’ aircraft detected and reported vessels operating inside Palau’s EEZ contributing to stopping these illegal activities and serving as a deterrent for future violators.

VP-10 is currently on a six-month deployment in support of U.S. 7th Fleet conducting Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions and providing Maritime Domain Awareness to supported units throughout the Pacific theater.

• Date Taken: 03.19.2017
• Date Posted: 03.28.2017 03:41
• Story ID: 228270
• Location: KOROR, PW