What is IUU fishing?<\/h2>\n
Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU<\/strong>) includes all fishing that breaks fisheries laws and regulations or occurs outside their reach.<\/p>\n Illegal fishing <\/strong>usually means without a licence, in an area where fishing is banned, with prohibited gear, over a quota, or for protected species. Very often it\u2019s a vessel entering a nation\u2019s water with no fishing licence, or fishing with a licence but catching more than is allowed.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n Then there is the problem of unreported<\/strong> and under-reported catches by licensed vessels looking to flout quotas or catch prohibited species.<\/p>\n Though most of the world\u2019s fish are caught in the national waters of coastal states \u2013 within 200 nautical miles of their shorelines \u2013 a lot of unregulated fishing<\/strong> occurs beyond that on the high seas which cover almost 45% of our planet. \u00adPatchy regulation and enforcement in this vast area allow rampant IUU.<\/p>\n IUU occurs everywhere, from shallow coastal or inland waters to the most remote stretches of the ocean. It particularly affects nations in the global south where fisheries management may be poorly developed, or where there are limited resources to oversee their waters or enforce regulations. West Africa and the Western Central Pacific are assessed as having the highest rates of illegal fishing<\/a>, followed by the Bering Sea and the Southwest Atlantic.<\/p>\n There are no reliable figures on global IUU \u2013 but experts estimate<\/a> that more than one in five (22%) landed fish is caught illegally, with this figure rising as to one in four off Africa. Every year, an estimated $26-50 billion<\/a> worth of revenue is lost to IUU.<\/p>\n IUU contributes to the over-exploitation of fish populations, hinders their recovery and damages the marine environment. Thousands of marine species die as bycatch<\/a> and delicate habitats are destroyed by the unregulated use of harmful practices<\/a> like bottom-trawling.<\/p>\n $26-50 billion of fish is lost to IUU every year<\/p><\/blockquote>\n IUU adversely affects the wellbeing of fishing communities, especially in the global south where many people rely on fish for food and revenue. It exacerbates poverty and contributes heavily to food insecurity. It also has direct ties to organised crime including human trafficking<\/a>, drug smuggling,<\/a> and slavery<\/a>.<\/p>\n The main driver is money \u2013 fishers pay no taxes or duties on their illegal catches. But IUU only happens because offenders can get away with it. It is most common in countries unable to set up or enforce effective fisheries controls.<\/p>\n One major obstacle in the fight against IUU is flags of convenience<\/strong> \u2013 flown by foreign fishing vessels to take advantage of minimal regulation, cheap registration fees, low or no taxes and the ability to employ cheap labour. While the practice is not illegal, using a flag of convenience allows IUU fishers to conceal their operations<\/a> or avoid international laws designed to conserve marine resources. Thirty-five nations<\/a> have open registries where an owner doesn\u2019t need to meet any nationality or residency requirements. The most famous is Panama \u2013 a tiny nation with the world\u2019s largest shipping fleet (by some estimates<\/a>). But land-locked countries such as Bolivia and Mongolia are also involved. Open registries conceal the true owners of a vessel; facilitate tax avoidance and appalling working conditions for seafarers; and are linked to devastating oil spills<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n Another common IUU practice is transshipment<\/strong> \u2013 where vessels fishing in the high seas for high-value species like tuna offload their catch onto refrigerated transport vessels known as \u201creefers\u201d. The reefers bring food, fuel, bait and labour and take away the catch as boxes of frozen fish. It is technically legal, and a cost-effective way for vessels to remain at sea for longer. But because the vessels do not come into port, it is hard to determine whether the catch is legal. <\/strong><\/p>\n A number of mechanisms exist or are being negotiated over in an attempt to bring an end<\/a> to this damaging black market.<\/p>\n The UN has chosen 5 June as Fight against IUU Day because it\u2019s the anniversary of when the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA)<\/strong> came into effect in June 2016. This is the first binding international agreement to stop illegally caught fish entering markets through ports. To date, 68 nations plus the European Union are party to the PSMA. China, as the world\u2019s fishing superpower, is key, and it is hoped it will ratify it soon<\/a>. <\/div><\/p>\n The UN\u2019s Sustainable Development Goal 14, \u201cLife Below Water\u201d,<\/strong> calls for an end to harmful subsidies that contribute to overcapacity, overfishing and IUU. The World Trade Organisation has been trying to resolve this issue for nearly 20 years, and last year it failed to meet its 2020 deadline, partly due to Covid-19<\/a>. But there are signs a deal may finally be in sight: the new director-general, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala<\/a> of Nigeria, has made fisheries subsidies a priority<\/a>, and is convening a ministerial conference in July<\/a> with the aim of finalising negotiations.<\/p>\n Better monitoring, control and surveillance<\/strong><\/a> are defending marine protected areas<\/a> globally and there are industry<\/a> and national<\/a> efforts to increase the traceability of seafood throughout the supply chain. Technology<\/strong> such as vessel monitoring systems (VMS), automatic identification systems (AIS) and on-board Electronic Monitoring is helping authorities spot vessels fishing beyond legal limits<\/a>.<\/p>\n Ultimately, IUU fishing is a response to the ever-increasing global appetite for seafood. Consumers can play their part alongside international efforts by making informed choices where possible. Look for trusted labels such as the international Marine Stewardship Council<\/a> (MSC) which verifies your fish was caught transparently. Or use online resources<\/a> to learn about which species are best to buy and which to avoid.<\/p>\n![\"Overfishing](\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/1a_IUU_overfishing-logo.png\"){kind=logo}
<\/p>\nWhere does it happen?<\/h2>\n
How much fish is caught illegally?<\/h2>\n
Why is IUU such a serious threat?<\/h2>\n
Why does IUU fishing happen?<\/h2>\n
What enables IUU?<\/h2>\n
![\"Chinese](\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/MENG_XIN_YU_YUN_369__MENG_XIN_19_Unknown__00004.jpg\")
How can IUU fishing be stopped?<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nWhat can consumers do?<\/h2>\n