Russia Uses Fishing Trawlers to Spy on UK’s Undersea Cables: Report

Russia is using civilian fishing trawlers to conduct surveillance of Britain’s critical undersea cables, according to a Telegraph investigation that identified more than 500 suspicious incidents along communications routes connecting the country with Europe and the U.S.

NATO is tracking the vessels, while British ministers have acknowledged that Moscow uses commercial operators to threaten undersea infrastructure.

The findings suggest Russian ships may be establishing the precise seabed positions of cables that could become targets in a conflict with NATO.

Tracking data alone does not establish what equipment the vessels deployed.

Repeated Movements Along Cable Routes

The Telegraph examined four and a half years of vessel movements supplied by Global Fishing Watch and compared them with cable charts.

It identified 17 Russian ships that remained near marked cable positions for extended periods at low speeds.

One vessel spent 113 hours near nine cables over four years. In one sequence north of Scotland, it reversed direction 10 times while following a 25km section of the Atlantic Crossing 1 route.

Russian fishing boats collectively spent 337 hours above that cable, including 322 hours in April 2023.

Another vessel repeatedly crossed the Hibernia Express cable in February 2025, remaining nearby for 42 minutes at less than two knots during one passage.

It also moved slowly along the SHEFA-2 connection between Shetland and the Faroe Islands.

A third ship followed a decommissioned cable west of Brittany, retraced its course and subsequently slowed while crossing two operational connections.

“We’re absolutely aware of what Russian civilian fishing ships are up to and where ... Some of these ships have never seen a single fish on their deck,” a NATO source told The Telegraph.

Naval officers said slow-moving vessels could use sonar to survey the seabed or deploy remotely operated vehicles.

One officer who reviewed footage of a trawler said its hold could accommodate uncrewed equipment.

Britain Seeks Tougher Penalties

The British government is preparing proposals to increase penalties for deliberately damaging undersea infrastructure, replacing provisions under Victorian legislation.

The planned offenses would carry prison sentences of up to 14 years and unlimited fines. Existing penalties include imprisonment of up to five years.

Ian Murray, the telecoms minister, said the government would also consult on whether life imprisonment should be available.

Ministers are considering whether the legislation could cover offenses outside British territorial waters.

Murray acknowledged that tougher laws would not deter Russia itself, but said they could discourage commercial intermediaries.

“We’ve been pretty clear, and the head of MI5 has been pretty clear, that Russia is starting to use commercial proxies in order to do some of their work for them in that space,” he told the newspaper.

Surveying cables in international waters is not currently prohibited.

Critical Links and Civilian Shipping

Around £65 billion in daily U.K. economic activity relies on subsea communications links with the U.S., according to the report.

Two cables provide roughly three-quarters of the data capacity between the countries.

Damage could disrupt banking, healthcare, transport and mobile communications. Much of the transatlantic network lies beyond British-controlled waters.

Russia’s FSB can enlist civilian shipping companies for intelligence operations.

A maritime doctrine approved by Vladimir Putin in July 2022 called for greater mobilization capabilities among fishing and specialist vessels.

Separately, the EU has sanctioned Russian fishing companies Norebo and Murman Seafood over alleged surveillance and espionage.

Both deny wrongdoing. FOR Group, another Russian operator accused in Norwegian reporting, also denies espionage.

None of the three companies is under U.K. sanctions.

A Royal Navy source told The Telegraph that Russian activity was being actively monitored at sea.