The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has estimated that 75% of the world’s fish stocks are fully or overexploited, pirate fishing represents a serious challenge to effective fisheries conservation and management worldwide. The potential for us to lose the fish we eat within our lifetime is very real; estimates are that at current rates of depletion, most fish stocks around the world will collapse by 2048.

At a time when world fish stocks are under unprecedented pressure, pirate fishing operations are:

• stealing from our seas and oceans

• undermining attempts at sustainable management

• causing massive damage to the marine environment

• jeopardising the food security and livelihoods of poor coastal communities in developing countries.

Between March and April 2006, EJF and Greenpeace carried out a joint investigation to expose the extent and impacts of illegal fishing activities in the West African State of Guinea, a country with one of the highest rates of pirate fishing in the world.
In the course of this expedition, 104 foreign flagged vessels, from Korea, China, Italy, Liberia and Belize were documented. Over half were found to be engaged in or linked to illegal fishing activities.

The trip also included five days of collaboration with the Guinean fisheries authorities, providing them with the means to apprehend vessels fishing illegally. This led to the arrest of the Lian Run No 14, guilty of fishing in Guinean waters without a licence.

Pirate fishermen would not be able to operate without a market for their catch. One of the main driving forces behind IUU fishing in West Africa is a growing demand for seafood in Europe. EJF’s investigations led us to the final part of the supply chain – the sale of seafood in the UK, linking it back to West Africa, via the Spanish port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Canary Islands).

Our investigations clearly indicate that much more needs to be done to prevent fish caught illegally from entering the EU and ending up on our plates if we are to eradicate the illegal trade that is decimating marine environments and livelihoods in West Africa.

1. 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.

2. Press the European Union to give rapid and comprehensive effect to its 2002 Community Action Plan on IUU fishing. It has now been 5 years since the introduction of this potentially very effective plan, yet to date little has been implemented or achieved

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

4. Eliminate Flags of Convenience, which give a perfect cover for IUU activities.

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.

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