Abstract: Small target detection in sea clutter is a challenging problem. This paper proposes a novel approach to solve it. Edge detection and improved Hough transform are applied to a set of range profiles, which are resulted from re-sampling and smoothing the range-time profiles in time direction. Using the two-step masks, the moving small target can be figured out in Hough domain. This approach has a wide application due to the independence on the model of sea clutter, and can be used to detect target without prior knowledge of the ocean and environment conditions. Real sea clutter data is used to illustrate the effectiveness and the practicability of the novel approach.