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NSA SIDtoday: Persistence and Collaboration Thwart Criminals on the High Seas
Aug. 15 2018 — 6:02p.m.
DY NAMIC PAGE -- HIGHE ST POSS IBLE CLA SSIFICATION IS TOP SECRET II SI I TK II REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL [g SID Today archives [g Welcome! Saturday, 10 Nov 2012 [g I [g feedback [g • • • • • • • • Web search AgencY--all Emails SID-all Emails NSA Rolodex SCQAWK: The SID Mailbag SIDtodaY-Blog SIDtodaY-Series SIGINT Worldwide VTC • SIDtodaY-Article • Letter to the Editor • SIGINT-Y-Social Media Pag~ (U//FOUO) Persistence and Collaboration Thwart Criminals on the High Seas FROM: Ensign , USN Technical Director, Weapons and Space, NSA/CSS Hawaii (HS2J) Run Date: 10116120 12
(S//SI//REL ) The practice of using enormou s nets suspended for mile s in open water is kno wn as "high seas drift net " (HSDN ) fishing. Thi s practice indi scriminately kill s massive amount s of fish and other marine life such as whales and turtle s, and most countrie s have banned the practice through an international moratorium. HSDN is a threat to ocean ecosystem s, and to the food and economi c security of nation s relying on fishery resources . Recently SIGINTer s helped shut down a vessel engaged in this criminal activity. (U) A Great Success, But Unfinished Business Remains (S//SI//REL ) Last September (2011) , the Coast Guard Cutter (CGC ) Munro interdi cted the fishing vessel Bangun Perkasa, resulting in a widely prai sed success story for the mission against illegal HSDN activity.* Unfortunately , while the Bangun Perkasa was being boarded , its companion , the fishing vessel Shun Li No . 6 (p ictured), had gotten away. There was more work to be done. (TS//SI//REL) While the Shun Li No . 6 may have felt safe , our team s remained vigilant. HMAST and CSG identified the selector associated to the Shun Li No . 6 when it became active again in mid-April 2012. HMAST was able to match the IRIDIUM hand-held satellite phone used onboard the Shun Li No . 6 to the previously associated ELINT track , allowing for a po sitive confirmation that the Shun Li No . 6 was back under way and heading towards the HSDN area. It was time to take action. (U) The Operation Kicks Off (TS//SI//REL) Thi s time CGC Rush was on patrol. HMAST and CSG/MIFCPAC coordinated all available information to vector the CGC Rush towards the Shun Li No . 6. HMAST 's HSDN analysts provided support produ cts twice a week to MIFC PAC/CSG member s, giving an overview of the entire HSDN area for any indication of HSDN fishing. Throu gh the aid of HS2B2 , HMAST was able to task the IRIDI UM hand set onboard the Shun Li No . 6 to further aid in tracking , as well as pro vide force-prote ction support: an NSAHawaii lingui st listened in on the fishing vessel's communi cations for any signs that the crew would resist a boarding operation by the Coast Guard. (TS//SI//REL) If a force-prote ction threat was identified , HMAST would be able to inform the CGC Rush in near real-time that they needed to return any of their per sonnel to the safety of their own ship. A formal serialized report with the classified SIGINT detail s would follow within 72 hour s. (U) Persistence Pays Off (U//FOUO) On 27 July 2012 , the CGC Rush boarded the fishing vessel Da Cheng (a.k.a. Shun Li No . 6) approximately 700NM east of Yokosuka , Japan , and confirmed illicit fishing activity through the use of driftnet s . Imagery from the boarding of the Da Cheng matched the profile of the Shun Li No . 6 , indicating the vessel had changed its name. During the boardin g, the captain of the Da Cheng admitted to using lONM of driftnet. The vessel's crew consisted of 26 Chine se and one Taiwanese , and the vessel claimed to be Indone sian flagged , but after contacting Indone sia the vessel was determined to be statele ss. (Thi s was similar to what happened with the Bangun Perakasa the previous year.) (U//FOUO) While on board the Da Cheng, the boardin g team discovered 10 NM of driftnet , 500 kilogram s of shark fins, over five tons of shark carcasses, and 30 tons of tuna. (S//REL FVEY ) On 13 Augu st 2012 , the CGC Rush tran sferred the Da Cheng over to two Chine se Bureau of Fisherie s vessels for further investigation and pro secution.
(U//FOUO) While success is to be celebrated, one success does not constitute victory. There is more work to be done. Our teams are dedicated, and tireless. The mission continues. closeup of the Da Cheng (U) Notes: * (U//FOUO) The Munro success required strong collaboration efforts among NSA Hawaii's Maritime Analysis Support Team (HMAST), the Coast Guard Maritime Intelligence Fusion Center Pacific (MIFCPAC), Cryptologic Support Group (CSG) San Francisco, and Coast Guard District 17. Comments/Suggestions about this article? "(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)." Information Owner: Page Publisher: Last Modified: 11/10/2012 / Last Reviewed: 11/10/2012 DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108