Canada is deploying its decades long investment in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology to help Mexico track down illegal fishing operations. During a recent bilateral meeting in Ottawa, the federal government announced a $7 million contribution to expand the Dark Vessel Detection program to Mexican waters.
The initiative allows Mexican authorities to access data from the government-owned RADARSAT Constellation Mission and commercial assets like RADARSAT-2 owned by MDA Space, to locate ships that turn off their location transponders. Fisheries and Oceans Canada manages the program with support from the Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC). MDA Space provides the underlying platform and critical synthetic aperture radar data to keep eyes on the oceans regardless of weather or cloud cover.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand shared the news following meetings with Roberto Velasco, Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs. According to the official release from Global Affairs Canada, the investment aims “to protect ocean biodiversity and sustainable fisheries livelihoods in coastal communities.”
Illegal fishing causes economic and environmental damage worldwide. Bad actors typically disable their automatic identification systems to operate undetected. The program bypasses this tactic by using Canadian radar satellites to spot the physical ships from low-Earth orbit, layering this intelligence with optical imagery provided by international commercial partners.
In recent years, MDA Space has secured contract extensions to provide geointelligence for the Dark Vessel Detection initiative. Their synthetic aperture radar technology is vital because it can scan the ocean surface at night and through heavy storms. This capability ensures that ships attempting to hide under the cover of darkness or bad weather remain visible to law enforcement.
The partnership with Mexico represents a growing trend of Canada exporting its space-based environmental monitoring services. The Dark Vessel Detection program has previously assisted island nations in the Indo-Pacific and South America. Expanding this reach to Mexico directly strengthens North American maritime security and protects delicate marine ecosystems.
This new funding falls under the Canada-Mexico Action Plan. The broader diplomatic agreement tackles shared priorities across the continent.