What really happens when commercial fishermen exploit our seas and oceans?
Learn about the impact illegal fishing industries operating around the world have on the enviornment, economy and daily lives of people who depend on fishing for their living.
Environmental consequences
Illegal fishing disregards conservation and management measures (fishing licences, closed zones, seasonal closures, total allowable catches, technical rules, restriction on days at sea, etc.). It thereby endangers the sustainability of fisheries by contributing to overfishing, by taking illegal catches of species covered by conservation measures and young fish or by fishing during periods of closure meant to allow stock renewal.
According to the FAO, 75% of marine stocks are fully exploited or overexploited. The proportion of overexploited stocks is 66% for high sea species and straddling stocks, which are particularly vulnerable to illegal fishing. Tuna, cod, Patagonian toothfish, redfish and swordfish are prey to particularly intensive illegal fishing due to their high commercial value. Some stocks such as bluefin tuna found in the Mediterranean may even be in danger of extinction if illegal fishing is not halted.
Illegal fishing also damages marine ecosystems due to its significant by-catches (non-targeted species of fish or marine mammals, as well as seabirds and sea turtles, for example) and because it also takes place in zones normally off limits for fishing to protect sensitive environments such as coral reefs.
Socio-economic consequences
Operators with legal activities make considerable efforts to observe fishing quotas and to respect their obligations under Community regulations (including large investments in more selective gears that are more respectful of the marine environment, for example). At the same time, they have to cope with unfair competition from operators acting with no constraints, often in the same fishing zones, targeting the same species and selling on the same markets. What is more, the reduction of stocks by illegal activities makes their work harder and cuts their profits.
In the short term, the results of this competition can be seen in smaller catches, lower turnover and reduced employment. The repercussions may be even more serious in the long term, with fish stocks becoming increasingly overexploited and sometimes even depleted. A number of operators could consequently be forced to reduce or even discontinue their activity, with particularly serious consequences in regions with few alternative activities.
The consequences of illegal fishing are far more serious in the immediate future for the coastal communities of developing countries, where fishing ensures food security and is an important source of income. Taking advantage of the fact that these countries generally have limited means of control, illegal operators exploit their waters and pillage resources vital for local fishermen. This situation is particularly serious on the coast of sub-Saharan Africa.
At the same time, operators fishing illegally on the high seas often exploit crew members from developing countries who work on IUU vessels for low wages and accept extremely insecure living and working conditions which sometimes border on slavery.
From: http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/cfp/external_relations/illegal_fishing/consequences_en.htm
