4 reasons why IUU fishing is worst than piracy.

According to a growing number of experts, including also high ranking US Coast Guard officers, IUU fishing has surpassed piracy as a global threat to maritime security. In fact, IUU fishing can have a negative cascade effect on many different aspects of global security.?It is very well described in a 2016 report of the National Intelligence Council called "Global Implications of?Illegal, Unreported, and?Unregulated (IUU) Fishing" (link below).?

The first thing that comes to mind is of course related to food security and the possible loss of livelihoods. Large industrial fishing fleets involved in IUU fishing can easily disrupt the economic model of local coastal fisheries. This can bring tensions both at a local and regional level.?

Secondly, IUU can also increase tensions between countries, especially those who rely on fisheries as a major source of income. There are already several instances happening in recent years. As an example. In the Bay of Bengal a disputed fishing area brought reciprocal accusations of IUU fishing and confiscation of vessels on both sides.

Thirdly, IUU has the effect of undermining the rule of law in the countries where it happens, as it provides criminals with a significant source of income and it is often intermingled with other transnational crime happening at sea, such as human trafficking, drug trafficking, and forced labor.

Finally, even if this is still partially debated, IUU can increase the risk of piracy. This already happened in the Gulf of Aden in the 90s, and is now happening again in the Gulf of Guinea, where illegal fishing by Chinese trawlers has been seriously undercutting local fisheries since at least 2008. In turn, piracy threatens legal fishers, therefore creating a vicious and self-reinforcing cycle.

As they say, every cloud has a silver lining. In this case, since IUU appears to be a cause of many negative effects, it is very likely that tackling IUU in a decisive and energetic way could bring a virtuous and self-reinforcing cycle of positive effects on the issues mentioned above. This calls for further research!

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Download the full report from 2016 here.