Competitive Strategy

"Going Dark": The FV Wizard's Strategic Advantage

How Captain Keith Colburn disables AIS transponders to hide vessel position from competitors in the Bering Sea

⚠️ Legal Gray Area: This practice exists in a regulatory gray zone. While AIS disabling is technically restricted, enforcement in fishing fleets is inconsistent, and the practice is widespread in international waters.

What is "Going Dark"?

Definition

"Going dark" refers to deliberately turning OFF the AIS (Automatic Identification System) transponder on a fishing vessel. When AIS is disabled, the vessel becomes invisible on public tracking platforms like MarineTraffic and VesselFinder, even though the physical ship is actively operating at sea.

AIS ON (Visible)

  • ✓ Vessel broadcasts position every 2-10 seconds
  • ✓ Competitors can track real-time location
  • ✓ Position visible on MarineTraffic
  • ✓ Compliant with regulations
  • ✓ Enables crew safety verification

AIS OFF (Dark)

  • ✗ No position broadcasts
  • ✗ Invisible to competitors
  • ✗ Not visible on tracking platforms
  • ✗ Gray area regulatory compliance
  • ✗ Still tracked by VMS (NOAA only)

Why Captain Colburn Goes Dark

Competitive Advantage

Hide productive fishing grounds from competitors

  • •When FV Wizard finds a concentration of King Crab, competitors can see the position via AIS
  • •By disabling AIS, Colburn operates invisibly while other vessels remain visible
  • •Competitors cannot follow or converge on the same fishing ground
  • •Result: Higher catch rates, better financial performance

Information Asymmetry

Create imbalance in maritime intelligence

  • •Other vessels broadcast their positions continuously
  • •FV Wizard position is unknown - competitors must guess
  • •Competitors can be 50+ miles away while Wizard operates in productive zone
  • •Intelligence advantage multiplies when going dark for extended periods

Strategic Deception

Mislead competitors about actual location

  • •Last known AIS position shows vessel in one area
  • •Wizard actually operates 100+ miles away
  • •Competitors waste fuel chasing false leads
  • •Wizard returns with massive catch while competitors remain empty-handed

Operational Secrecy

Protect proprietary fishing techniques and routes

  • •Prevent competitors from learning seasonal patterns
  • •Keep exclusive fishing ground knowledge private
  • •Maintain competitive edge across multiple seasons
  • •Build reputation for unpredictability

How AIS Disabling Works

Step 1: AIS System Operation (Normal)

1

Vessel's GPS/Navigation System calculates position continuously

2

AIS Transponder Module takes position data from GPS

3

Broadcasts via VHF radio on 161.975 & 162.025 MHz

4

Other vessels and coastal stations receive the broadcast

5

Data aggregated by MarineTraffic and displayed publicly

Step 2: AIS Disabling ("Going Dark")

1

Captain activates manual override on AIS control panel

2

AIS Transponder power is cut or transmission disabled

3

GPS still operating (needed for vessel navigation)

4

No AIS broadcast - position NOT transmitted

5

Vessel becomes invisible on MarineTraffic and VesselFinder

Key Point: Still Trackable by Authorities

Even with AIS disabled, the FV Wizard is NOT completely invisible. It must still transmit position data via VMS (Vessel Monitoring System) to NOAA fisheries management. This data is encrypted and only visible to fisheries authorities - NOT to competitors or the public.

How to Detect "Going Dark" on Tracking Platforms

Position Gap

What to look for: Last update visible, then no new positions for hours/days

Example: FV Wizard last seen at 60.5°N, 165.3°W on Monday 10am, no updates until Thursday 2pm

Sudden Reappearance

What to look for: Vessel appears 50-100+ miles from last known position

Example: Last position showed Wizard south of Bering Strait, suddenly appears 100 miles to the northwest

Coast Hugging Routes

What to look for: Vessel routes closely follow coastline (tracking gaps are normal here)

Example: Wizard travels near Alaska coast where satellite coverage is sparse

Night Patterns

What to look for: Position gaps correlate with darkness hours (tactical timing)

Example: AIS gaps always occur during local night hours (18:00-06:00)

Competitor Clustering

What to look for: Other vessels position themselves at last known Wizard location

Example: FV Northwestern, Time Bandit converge on stale Wizard position trying to find him

Legal & Regulatory Status

Official Regulations

  • • USCG requires operable AIS on commercial fishing vessels
  • • AIS should transmit continuously (SOLAS requirements)
  • • Disabling is technically a violation
  • • Penalties: Fines up to $10,000-25,000 per violation

Reality (Gray Area)

  • • Fishing industry argues for competitive necessity
  • • USCG enforcement is inconsistent and under-resourced
  • • European fleets widely disable AIS (controversial)
  • • Few documented enforcement actions against fishing vessels

Current Regulatory Trends (2025)

  • ✓ Increased Pressure: Environmental NGOs demanding mandatory continuous AIS
  • ✓ EU Direction: European Union moving toward mandatory AIS for all fishing
  • ✓ IUU Prevention: International pressure to prevent Illegal, Unreported, Unregulated fishing
  • ✓ Satellite Monitoring: Commercial satellite imagery making AIS gaps obsolete

The Ethical Debate

Pro-Transparency Argument

  • ✓Prevents Overfishing: Transparent tracking enables sustainable quota management
  • ✓Marine Conservation: Protects endangered species and ecosystems
  • ✓Food Chain Integrity: Ensures legitimate sourcing of seafood
  • ✓Public Safety: Better tracking aids rescue operations

Pro-Competition Argument

  • ⚔Business Reality: Fishing is high-risk, low-margin business
  • ⚔Information Disadvantage: Some boats always-visible, disadvantaged
  • ⚔Crew Survival: Better catch = crew wages, job security
  • ⚔Fair Competition: Requires equal information access for all

The core tension: Environmental sustainability vs. economic survival of small-fleet fishing operations. The practice of "going dark" represents this fundamental conflict in modern commercial fishing.

Future of "Going Dark" (2025+)

Likely Scenario:

The practice of deliberately disabling AIS will likely become increasingly difficult and risky. Commercial satellite imagery, enhanced VMS monitoring, and international pressure for transparency will make AIS gaps more conspicuous and penalties more severe.

5-Year Outlook:

  • • Mandatory continuous AIS enforcement increases
  • • Satellite monitoring becomes primary tracking method
  • • Port access restricted for vessels with AIS gaps
  • • International standards enforce transparency
  • • Fishing advantage shifts to operational skill vs. information hiding

Learn More About Communications

Explore the complete guide to maritime communications systems and how to track vessels in real-time

Real-Time Tracking →Vessel Profiles →