Pirate fishing vessels are stealing fish from some of the world's poorest people and leaving a trail of environmental destruction in their wake.<br />© Greenpeace/Davison
Pirate fishing vessels are stealing fish from some of the world's poorest people and leaving a trail of environmental destruction in their wake.
© Greenpeace/Davison
Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) or "pirate" fishing occurs in virtually all fisheries. Being essentially a clandestine activity, the global extent of IUU fishing is extremely difficult to accurately assess, though it is widely believed to account for a significant proportion of global catches. IUU fishing is rife in many important fisheries. In the Baltic Sea, for example, ICES - the organisation that coordinates and promotes marine research in the North Atlantic - estimate IUU catches amounted to around 40% of the cod catch between 2000 and 2003. The Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT), the body responsible for managing the fishery for this critically endangered species, estimates IUU fishing amounts to about 33% of its reported catches.

With a single bluefin tuna fish selling for in excess of US$100,000 on the Japanese sashimi market, there is a massive incentive for unscrupulous companies to cash in on the vast profits to be made from illegal fishing. A recent report commissioned by the UK Department for International Development estimated that the total annual value of IUU fishing worldwide (for the years 2003-2005) is between US$2.4bn and US$9.5bn.
  • Pirate fishing is one of the most serious threats to the future of world fisheries and marine species and habitats. IUU fishing kills whales, dolphins, marine turtles, birds and countless fish species. Fishing using banned fishing gears - such as driftnets - or in protected areas exacts a high toll on marine life.


  • Illegal fishing has a direct impact upon coastal communities dependent upon fish stocks for food and livelihoods and is a significant problem in some of the world's poorest countries where local people are deprived of fish. A recent report found that the West African State of Guinea-Conakry is losing in excess of 34,000 tonnes of fish every year to illegal fishing, worth US$110 million.
 

EJF is campaigning to:

  1. Eliminate Flags of Convenience, which give a perfect cover for IUU activities. A flag of convenience ship is one that flies the flag of a country other than the country of ownership - this makes it virtually impossible for unscrupulous ship owners to be caught and punished for illegal fishing. A major proportion of IUU fishing could be eliminated if the loophole in international law that allows states to issue flags of convenience was closed.

    EJF's campaign to eliminate Flags of Convenience is supported by many international organisations including Greenpeace International, Friends of the Earth International, the Marine Conservation Society, the International Oceans Institute, One World Action, the Australian Marine Conservation Society, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, and Public Citizen.


  2. End the illegal use of driftnets in the Mediterranean, which continue to kill untold numbers of whales, dolphins and other marine life.


  3. Press the Spanish Government and European Union to strictly enforce controls on Las Palmas (Canary Islands), a notorious Port of Convenience and major gateway for illegally caught fish on to the EU market.


  4. Secure greater international support for developing countries that need our help to combat illegal fishing in their waters.

    5. [Read more about EJF's work in Guinea-Conakry]

    [Watch the video on illegal pirate fishing in Guinea]