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Illegal fishing, also known as illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, is a serious threat to the health of our oceans and the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on them. It is estimated that IUU fishing accounts for up to 26 million tons of fish annually, worth up to $36.4 billion. This is equivalent to one-fifth of the global catch, or enough to feed 300 million people.

Illegal fishing is not only a problem for the environment, but also for human rights, food security, and global stability. It undermines the efforts of responsible fishermen and governments to manage fisheries sustainably, and it creates unfair competition and market distortions. It also deprives coastal communities of their main source of income and protein, and it exposes them to the risk of violence, exploitation, and even slavery.

In this blog post, I will explain what illegal fishing is, why it is so harmful, and what we can do to stop it.

What is illegal fishing?

Illegal fishing is a broad term that covers a variety of activities that violate national or international laws and regulations related to fishing. Some examples of illegal fishing are:

• Fishing without a license or authorization from the relevant authorities
• Fishing in prohibited areas, such as marine protected areas or the exclusive economic zones of other countries
• Fishing with banned or destructive gear, such as dynamite, cyanide, or bottom trawls
• Fishing over the allowed quota or catch limit, or targeting protected or endangered species
• Failing to report or misreporting catch data, such as the amount, species, or origin of the fish
• Transshipping fish from one vessel to another at sea, to avoid inspection or detection
• Using flags of convenience, which are flags of countries that have lax or no control over their fishing vessels
• Engaging in human trafficking, forced labor, or other forms of abuse on board fishing vessels

How is illegal fishing detected?

There are various tools and technologies that can help to track and verify the activities and movements of fishing vessels, and to detect and deter illegal fishing. Some of these are:

• Vessel monitoring systems (VMS), which are devices that transmit the location, speed, and direction of the vessels to the authorities or the operators
• Satellite imagery, which can provide a bird’s eye view of the fishing activities and the environmental conditions
• Drones, which can fly over the fishing areas and capture high-resolution images and videos of the vessels and the fish
• Electronic catch documentation and traceability systems (eCDTS), which are digital platforms that record and share the information about the fish, such as the species, weight, origin, and destination
• Automatic identification systems (AIS), which are radio transponders that broadcast the identity, position, and course of the vessels to other vessels and stations

Why is illegal fishing so harmful?

Illegal fishing has many negative impacts on the environment, the economy, and the society. Some of the main harms are:

• It depletes fish stocks and reduces biodiversity, by overfishing and bycatching non-target species, such as sharks, turtles, dolphins, and seabirds. This can lead to the collapse of entire fisheries and ecosystems, and the loss of ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration, nutrient cycling, and coastal protection.
• It damages marine habitats and coral reefs, by using destructive fishing methods, such as bottom trawling, dynamite, or cyanide. These methods destroy the structure and function of the habitats, and reduce their resilience to climate change, pollution, and invasive species.
• It threatens food security and nutrition, by reducing the availability and quality of fish for human consumption. Fish is a vital source of protein, micronutrients, and omega-3 fatty acids, especially for the poor and vulnerable populations in developing countries. Illegal fishing also increases the risk of food safety issues, such as contamination, fraud, or mislabeling of fish products.
• It undermines the livelihoods and well-being of coastal communities, by depriving them of their income and employment opportunities, and by increasing the competition and conflict over scarce resources. Illegal fishing also erodes the traditional and cultural values of fishing communities, and their sense of identity and belonging.
• It fuels corruption and crime, by creating a lucrative and unregulated market for illegal fish products, and by involving transnational criminal networks, armed groups, and terrorist organizations. Illegal fishing also facilitates other illegal activities, such as smuggling, money laundering, tax evasion, and human trafficking.

Who are the victims of illegal fishing?

Illegal fishing affects millions of people around the world, especially in developing countries, where fishing is a major source of income, food, and social cohesion. Some of the most vulnerable groups are:

• Small-scale fishers, who often lack the resources, skills, and technology to compete with the large-scale and illegal fishers, and who suffer from the depletion and degradation of the fish resources and the marine habitats
• Coastal communities, who depend on the fish resources for their livelihoods, nutrition, and culture, and who face the loss of their income, food security, and social stability
• Fish workers, who work on board fishing vessels or in fish processing plants, and who are exposed to the risk of exploitation, abuse, and slavery, such as low wages, long hours, poor conditions, violence, and coercion
• Consumers, who buy and eat fish products, and who are unaware of the origin, quality, and safety of the fish they consume, and who may be supporting the illegal fishing industry and its negative impacts

What can we do to stop illegal fishing?

Illegal fishing is a complex and multifaceted problem that requires a coordinated and comprehensive response from all stakeholders, including governments, international organizations, civil society, private sector, and consumers. Some of the possible solutions are:

• Strengthening the legal and regulatory framework, by ratifying and implementing the relevant international agreements and conventions, such as the UN Fish Stocks Agreement, the Port State Measures Agreement, and the International Labour Organization Convention 188. These instruments provide the basis for the prevention, deterrence, and elimination of illegal fishing, and for the protection of the rights and welfare of fishers.
• Improving the monitoring, control, and surveillance, by using various tools and technologies, such as vessel monitoring systems, satellite imagery, drones, electronic catch documentation, and traceability systems. These tools can help to track and verify the activities and movements of fishing vessels, and to detect and deter illegal fishing.
• Enhancing the cooperation and coordination, by establishing and participating in regional and global platforms and initiatives, such as the Regional Fisheries Management Organizations, the Global Fishing Watch, and the International Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Network. These platforms and initiatives can help to share information and data, to harmonize standards and rules, and to conduct joint operations and enforcement actions.
• Promoting the awareness and education, by raising the public awareness and understanding of the causes and consequences of illegal fishing, and by providing the education and training for the fishers and the authorities on the best practices and the legal requirements. These activities can help to foster a culture of compliance and responsibility, and to empower the stakeholders to take action against illegal fishing.
• Supporting the sustainable and responsible fishing, by providing the incentives and assistance for the fishers and the industry to adopt the sustainable and responsible fishing practices, such as the certification schemes, the eco-labels, the subsidies reform, and the alternative livelihoods. These practices can help to improve the economic and social benefits of fishing, and to reduce the pressure and dependence on the fish resources.

How can we as consumers help to stop illegal fishing?

As consumers, we have a powerful role and responsibility to play in the fight against illegal fishing. We can make a difference by choosing to support the legal and sustainable fishing, and to reject the illegal and destructive fishing. Here are some tips on how we can do that:

• Buy fish from trusted sources, such as certified, labeled, or traceable fish products, or from local, small-scale, or artisanal fishers, who are more likely to follow the legal and sustainable fishing practices
• Ask questions about the fish we buy, such as the species, origin, and method of fishing, and check the information against the available databases, such as the FishBase, the Seafood Watch, or the FishChoice
• Avoid buying fish that are overfished, endangered, or threatened, such as the bluefin tuna, the shark, or the pangasius, and opt for more sustainable alternatives, such as the sardine, the mackerel, or the tilapia
• Reduce our fish consumption and diversify our diet, by eating less fish and more plant-based foods, such as beans, nuts, seeds, or tofu, which can provide similar or better nutritional benefits, and have lower environmental impacts

Conclusion

Illegal fishing is a crime against nature and humanity, and it must be stopped. It is not only a matter of environmental conservation, but also of human rights, social justice, and global security. We all have a role and a responsibility to play in this fight, and we can make a difference by taking action at our own level. Whether we are consumers, producers, or policymakers, we can choose to support the legal and sustainable fishing, and to reject the illegal and destructive fishing.

human rights illegal fishing IUU fishing marine conservation sustainable fishing

Ghazala Siddique