Illegal, Unreported And Unregulated Research Articles

Integration of spatial justice into navigating the combat on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in ocean and coastal areas

As a geographical dimension of justice, spatial justice is characterized by the interplay of social justice and heterogeneous spaces, including the ocean. Despite the generous contribution of ocean to humankind, concerns over aquatic spatial justice are disproportionately lacking. Among the core disruptors of ocean justice, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing imposes a major threat to global fisheries governance. The synthesis of spatial analysis and justice perspective can generate new insights to help understand and potentially address IUU fishing. To examine the spatial (in)justices concerning IUU fishing, we first propose a novel tripartite framework that envisions space as a form of opportunity, society and rights to externalize its socio-environmental implications. Then we integrate productive, distributive and consumptive justices to examine the spatial variations of IUU stakeholders along the fish value chain, and use stakeholder analysis to investigate spatial powers and conflicts regarding both a micro scale of fish communities, and a macro scale of states (coastal state, flag state, port state and market state) and supernational players (regional fisheries management organizations and marine protected areas). It is discovered that certain regions provide greater spatial benefits that stimulate IUU behaviors; IUU misconducts cause spatial differentiation and spatial deprivation that disrupt social orders in fish communities; space can empower stakeholders’ inclusive and proper engagement into the place-based management process against IUU fishing. Since the spatialized vision has been increasingly highlighted in marine fisheries management, it is suggested to intervene in the world ocean by leveraging spatial knowledge, managing spatial conflicts and facilitating spatial action, in order to promote spatial justice and better combat IUU fishing globally.

Small-scale fisheries, large-scale fisheries and fisheries governance in the Philippines

ABSTRACT This article investigates the intersections between two highly significant ocean policy processes: fisheries governance interventions for improved sustainability, and the relationship between small- and large-scale fishers. The focus is on how fisheries governance interventions interact with longstanding tensions between small- and large-scale fishers. The article draws on three examples of contemporary policy debates about fisheries governance in the Philippines: measures against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, closed seasons, and initiatives to re-organise spatial regulations governing fishing access. The article shows how in each case, debates about fisheries governance cannot be separated from the relationships between small and large scale fishers. Small- and large-scale fishers are affected differently by each governance intervention, and responses to this differentiation subsequently influence governance outcomes. The article finds that a key concern for any fisheries governance intervention needs to be assessing the relationships between key stakeholders, how these relationships will be modified by any governance intervention, and how these relational dynamics are likely to affect governance outcomes.

Spatiotemporal variations in reef manta ray (Mobula alfredi) residency at a remote meso‐scale habitat and its importance in future spatial planning

Abstract The Chagos Archipelago's vast no‐take marine protected area (MPA, 640,000 km2) provides refuge for elasmobranchs facing unsustainable depletion by fisheries. Nonetheless, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing poses a substantial threat, and potential future changes to the use of the MPA could render elasmobranchs increasingly vulnerable to exploitation, putting geographically isolated populations, such as reef manta rays (Mobula alfredi) at risk of local extinction. Therefore, the species' long‐term movements and habitat use must be identified to help prioritize current enforcement activity and inform future spatial planning. Passive acoustic telemetry and modelled environmental data were used to investigate variations in 42 tagged M. alfredi utilization of a meso‐scale aggregation hotspot, Egmont Atoll, between 2019 and 2022. Mobula alfredi displayed the highest levels of residency ever reported (77%), with prolonged absences (>2 months) limited to seven individuals. Egmont atoll was used year‐round, with activity peaks during the southeast monsoon (April – November), particularly at sites on the southwest, while sites on the northwest were predominately frequented in the northwest monsoon (December–March). Tags were most likely to be detected when the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) was in a positive phase with a greater mixed layer depth, associated with a depression of chlorophyll α levels in the Indian Ocean. Thus, M. alfredi may be particularly reliant on Egmont Atoll, where they are predominantly observed feeding, when prey resources are limited elsewhere. In a region where the threat of fisheries is of increasing concern, the identification of crucial M. alfredi habitats is essential for conservation management planning. Given the significant role of Egmont Atoll for the local population, regular IUU enforcement patrols are crucial, particularly during the southeast monsoon. Any future changes to the MPA should prioritize preserving and actively enforcing no‐take regulations at Egmont Atoll.

Understanding the organisational structure of fisheries crime in well-regulated fisheries

Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing is recognised as a global environmental, economic, and social problem, taking place in all kinds of fisheries. Preventing it is however difficult and there is a continuous need to expand the knowledge base on how the issue can be addressed. In this article we study fisheries crime from an environmental criminology approach by conducting a crime script analyses to describe the organisational structure of unreported fishing in a well-regulated fishery. The approach gives detailed insights into the different steps in the crime commission process in the Norwegian coastal cod fisheries. The crime script technique is expanded to also include an analysis of the regulatory framework designed to prevent illegal fishing activities. The main MCS mechanisms to prevent illegalities are present but the diversity in the industry makes the implementation of universal prevention mechanisms difficult. The analysis highlights the fisher-buyer dialogue and interactions prior to misreporting as a core aspect to the organisation of the violations, and difficult to regulate. When linking regulations and guardianship to different steps of the crime we discuss the identified vulnerabilities in the resource control system and present some possible intervention points and prevention mechanisms to be considered by policymakers.

The Complexity of The Illegal Fishing Regime in Southeast Asia Case Study: Illegal Lobster Seed Fishing in ASEAN

Southeast Asia's geographical conditions are an area that has a marine ecosystem most diverse in the world. However, there is an increase in the exploitation and practice of Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing which is considered troubling and detrimental to the affected region. This study attempts to analyze the regimes' complexity in illegal fishing in Southeast Asia. The research method used a qualitative approach. Primary data we collect documents and official statements issued by the Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission, ASEAN-SEAFDEC organization, FAO, and policy of ASEAN countries through the ministry of maritime and fisheries. Analysis of the complexity of the three main regimes in IUU complemented by a discussion of these regimes' agendas and similarity policies (overlapping regimes). In dealing with this, countries in the Southeast Asian region are implementing a strategy to keep up with agreed international norms. It has found that 60% of ASEAN member countries adopt the Regional Plan of Action (RPOA). They were shifting the existence of profit-oriented thinking into sustainability-oriented. The regime's complexity illustrates the tumult of an international issue and the whip to increase the country's contribution to the sustainability of a more balanced life by internalizing the international regime's norms.

Environmental DNA helps reveal reef shark distribution across a remote archipelago

Environmental DNA (eDNA) methods are being increasingly used in proof-of-concept studies to detect shark species, many populations of which are experiencing severe declines. These methods are widely seen as the future of biodiversity monitoring, but they have yet to become established as routine monitoring techniques for elasmobranch species. Here, we developed species-specific quantitative PCR assays for the detection of grey reef shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) and silvertip shark (Carcharhinus albimarginatus). We assessed whether species-specific eDNA methods could infer the distribution of the two species around the atolls of the Chagos Archipelago, which, despite being surrounded by a large marine protected area, experience contrasting levels of illegal fishing leading to heterogeneity in shark population densities. We found that eDNA detections were significantly reduced and sporadic around the northern atolls, which are under high pressure from illegal fishing. By contrast eDNA detections of both species were ubiquitous and consistent around the highly protected atoll Diego Garcia. We postulate that current levels of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is having a significant impact on the shark community in the northern atolls and suppressing local reef shark populations. In the northern atolls we also employed visual and acoustic telemetry techniques to reveal the distribution of reef sharks. We found that despite eDNA samples being taken directly after visual surveys, detection results did not correlate, suggesting a need for further optimisation of eDNA methods for detecting sharks. However, both species were detected by eDNA in sites where they were not observed, highlighting that the scale of the sampling environment must be considered when inferring eDNA results and showing that eDNA methods can be used to fill gaps in data from more established monitoring techniques. We conclude that eDNA methods should be used in combination with other techniques to provide a complete picture of shark distribution so that threatened species can be better protected.

IUU safe havens or PSMA ports: A global assessment of port State performance and risk

The 2009 Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA) was the first legally binding international instrument to empower port States to deny foreign vessels suspected of having engaged in illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing from using their ports and to land catches. This paper builds upon previous work analyzing 2020 AIS data to rank fishing ports globally and assessing evolving port State risk and port States performance in PSMA implementation. Internal and external indicators were identified to highlight the port States at risk of becoming exposed to IUU fishing transactions. This paper includes an analysis of designated port use, a key requirement of PSMA implementation. The paper also establishes an ongoing methodological framework for port associated IUU risk assessment using the outputs as a benchmark against which follow-up trend analyses are planned, the next using 2023 data. Port rankings evolved because of continued AIS adoption, port State business diversification and Covid-19 related disruptions. 3% of commercial port calls globally are made by foreign vessels. Globally, internal port State risk has dropped, while external risk has increased, the former driven by parties to the PSMA, and the latter by PSMA non-parties. Higher-risk fleets are now diverting to PSMA non-parties. The findings underline the transformational nature of the Agreement. Overall port State risk correlates more strongly with quality of governance than with national income. The paper finds that the PSMA’s designated port entry rule for foreign vessels is currently weakly applied in advanced economies whilst it is more strongly applied across the developing world.

SEASID: Study on Enforcement of Amended Fisheries Law Specific at Verde Island Passage: Input to Improvement and Development of Policy Alternatives

This study was designed to understand the enforcement of amended Fisheries Law Specific at Verde Island Passage(VIP). The study described the situation in the VIP and the efforts to solve the Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing in VIP Batangas Marine Key Biodiversity Areas (MKBAs) toward formulation of policy alternatives. Data were gathered through interviews among stakeholders. The data went through two-level coding and were further analyzed. The amended Fisheries Law were analyzed by its performance with stakeholders as participants. Results showed that issues on amended Fisheries Law enforcement in VIP MKBAs are associated in the enforcement associated with the use of force; enforcement will always involve conflict; enforcement always involves risk; and enforcement is often costly and complex. In fact, it also reveals that the weak implementation roots from the local governance who is influenced by politics. The two policy alternatives identified were: 1) Pursuance of Policy on Deployment of Permanent Maritime Police Enforcers in the Verde Island Passage Marine Key Biodiversity Areas to report to Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources as the lead enforcer of RA 10654; and 2) Pursuance of Policy on the Establishment of Social Enterprises as Alternative Livelihood for Fisherfolk in the Verde Island Passage Marine Key Biodiversity Areas. Based on the developed criteria levels of risk and uncertainty, the two policy alternatives were evaluated in an aim to solve the continuous increase illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in VIP MKBAs. Between the two alternatives, “Policy on Deployment of Permanent Maritime Police Enforcers in the Verde Island Passage Marine Key Biodiversity Areas to report to Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources as the lead enforcer of RA 10654” generated the greater percentage.

Stakeholder consensus suggests strategies to promote sustainability in an artisanal fishery with high rates of poaching and marine mammal bycatch

Abstract Illegal fishing for high value species in artisanal fisheries drives incidental catch and declines of marine mammals and other large vertebrates of conservation importance around the world. Engaging with stakeholders is essential to understand which strategies will be effective in motivating the development of more sustainable practices, and disengagement from illegal fisheries. Here we present the results of a Q study carried out in autumn 2018 with 50 stakeholders from the Caspian Sea coast of Dagestan (Russian Federation), including fishers illegally targeting sturgeon (Acipenseridae) and Caspian seals Pusa caspica, traders and fisheries managers. We assess viewpoints on biodiversity governance; illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing; illegal wildlife trade (IWT) and conservation. Three distinct viewpoint groups emerged from a factor analysis, which we designated as ‘Nostalgists’, ‘Optimists’ and ‘Pessimists’. Nostalgists were concerned with decline in environmental quality, and emphasised a need for increased centralised involvement of authorities reminiscent of the old Soviet system. Optimists expressed support for a well‐regulated legal fisheries sector, while Pessimists were very aware of the negative impact of illegal fisheries and IWT, but felt they could not be controlled. Among all groups we found a strong desire for alternative livelihoods (ALs), improved sustainability and agreement on the potential effectiveness of marine protected areas (MPAs) and increased regulation, even if some stakeholders felt they were not achievable goals. We used our results to inform three workshops in which Dagestani fishers and fishery experts discussed potential conservation interventions, and the barriers to their implementation. Six action types were identified including enhanced law enforcement, increased regulation, protected areas, alternative livelihoods, reducing demand for sturgeon and seal products and the need for further research to guide policy development. This consensus suggests that communities are willing to reduce participation in illegal fishing given appropriate support. The socioeconomic factors driving illegal fisheries and bycatch for Caspian seals parallel those for other endangered marine mammals such as Vaquita Phocoena sinus and suggest that Q studies could be applied in other artisanal fisheries with high rates of marine mammal bycatch to help identify policy interventions supported by involved communities. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Reconsidering the longline ban in the Galapagos Marine Reserve

In 2000, longline fishing was banned inside the Galapagos Marine Reserve to prevent illegal fishing of sharks and bycatch of endangered, threatened, and protected (ETP) species. Despite local management institutions possess one of the most sophisticated control and surveillance systems in the Eastern Tropical Central Pacific, statistical and anecdotic evidence suggest the longline ban has been ineffective in eradicating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing for the last two decades. This short communication examines the legal, institutional, and socio-economic factors that have prevented the effective implementation of the longline ban and proposes an ecosystem approach to fisheries to maintain bycatch mortality rates below biologically based limits, facilitating the recovery of ETP species while safeguarding a sustainable development of the Galapagos small-scale tuna fishery. Significant investments in science, technology, and innovation are necessary to encourage gradual and adaptive improvements in fishing practices to reduce IUU fishing and bycatch.

Combating Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing: A Vietnamese Perspective

Abstract This article discusses Vietnam’s efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and future possibilities, including an analysis of the various drivers and causes of IUU fishing in the country. While Vietnam’s efforts and determination in the fight against IUU fishing have been promoted since 2017 when the European Commission imposed a ‘yellow card’ on Vietnam’s fishing industry, the outcome has not been as expected. Among the measures proposed to improve the effectiveness of combating IUU fishing in Vietnam, the focus has been on strengthening the national legal framework. These measures include (i) drafting a law on fishing at sea; (ii) developing a code of responsible fisheries; (iii) amending the penal code to criminalise acts of IUU fishing; and (iv) increasing sanctions for IUU fishing violations. In addition, strengthening law enforcement is discussed as a necessary tool to effectively address IUU fishing in Vietnam.

Fishing methods and fishing season of the tropical lobster fisheries of Southern Java, Indonesia

Abstract. Setyanto A, Sumarno, Wiadnya DGR, Prayogo C, Kusuma Z, West RJ, Tsamenyi M. 2023. Fishing methods and fishing season of the tropical lobster fisheries of southern Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 24: 778-783. Tropical lobster fisheries represent a relatively small-scale but valuable export industry in Indonesia, but in many ways may fall within the category of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fisheries. The absence of useful fisheries information means the management strategies and plans to manage the fisheries is severely limited. This research aimed to provide information about the fishing gear, methods, and fishing season of the fisheries, as a precursor to the development of fisheries management strategies. The study was conducted at Watukarung, Pacitan (East Java) and Baron, Gunungkidul (Yogyakarta). Fisheries data on lobster catch, fishing methods and fishing effort were collected through direct observation and interviews with fishers, fishery officers and port managers. Catch data were analyzed using ordinations technique to determine the fishing season. Lobsters were captured in various fishing gears throughout the year, but fishers targeting lobsters primarily used specialized lobster nets deployed by small boats and “krendet” (traps) deployed from clifftops as well as from small boat. The main fishing season for lobsters was from November to February each year. Future research needs to investigate fishing capacity and population parameters before any comprehensive fisheries management can be undertaken.

Addressing Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing of Vietnamese Fishing Vessels in Foreign Waters

Vietnamese illegal fishing in foreign waters is a prominent issue that has led to a yellow card warning from the European Commission (EC) on 23 October 2017. Although Vietnam has made considerable efforts to halt illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and clear this yellow card, the results were insufficient to remove the yellow card as of the beginning of 2022. The present study analyses why addressing this issue has been so challenging. Specifically, the following questions are addressed: i) how do local fisheries authorities implement central regulation policies against IUU fishing and ii) what are the bottlenecks in legal enforcement for both fisheries agencies and fishers? The secondary data analysis and the findings from interviews with government officials and fishers are presented. The authorities have implemented various approaches to prevent illegal fishing in foreign waters. These include an improved policy framework, law enforcement, fishing vessel management and supervision with vessel monitoring system (VMS), and increased responsibilities attached to the local fisheries authorities. Despite the several measures taken, illegal fishing in foreign waters continues. There are several reasons for the failure to control illegal fishing, including exhausted local marine resources, too many fishing boats operating in the same areas, unclear responsibilities of stakeholders, and lack of coordination among implementing authorities. Several recommendations are suggested for addressing the problem of IUU fishing of Vietnamese vessels in foreign waters to meet the criteria set by the EC to remove the yellow card and ensure that the results are long-lasting and substantive.

Enforcement approaches against illegal fishing in national fisheries legislation

Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities are amongst the most serious and persisting global concerns that negatively impact the environment, economy, and livelihoods. The concept of IUU fishing is elaborated under Para 3 of the 2001 International Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IPOA-IUU) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). In this article, the authors narrow the focus of the discussion herein on ‘illegal fishing’ activities, which generally fall under Para 3.1 of the IPOA-IUU, particularly examining the enforcement approaches against illegal fishing activities in national fisheries legislation. We explore a few overarching questions underpinning the scholarly debate on illegal fishing and crimes in the fisheries sector. First, whether criminalising illegal fishing or subjecting such fishing to criminal law processes lead to better compliance with fisheries legislation or is a more effective approach to tackling illegal fishing. Second, whether the problem of illegal fishing persists due to the lack of its criminalization or the resistance by States to criminalizing illegal fishing activities. Our assessment analyses the primary fisheries legislation of States and the European Union (EU) to better understand the enforcement approaches adopted therein, the responses used to empower national authorities, establish processes, delineate liability, and fix the sanction scheme, including the level of sanctions in terms of severity for illegal fishing. We ultimately aim to demonstrate that the options used to combat illegal fishing set out in national fisheries legislation are not limited to a single type of enforcement approach. Indeed, our assessment of national fisheries legislation shows that most States seem to follow a dual enforcement approach, which includes provisions enabling the use of both administrative and criminal processes and sanctions to enforce against illegal fishing and fishing related activities. We support a multipronged approach to address illegal fishing, which may include legal solutions such as criminalizing serious fisheries violations.

Is maritime security gender-blind?

Contemporary maritime security challenges such as maritime piracy, Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing and fisheries crimes, significantly affect communities and individuals. Utilising a gender lens and a more holistic approach that highlights the land-sea nexus in contemporary maritime insecurities, this article transcends existing stereotypes and prevailing assumptions surrounding the masculine character of the maritime domain, to examine how both women and men are affected in this context. The article conducts a gender analysis and mapping of women’s and men’s roles as (maritime) security providers, as well as victims and crime perpetrators through two developed case studies, namely of maritime piracy in Somalia and IUU fishing and fisheries crimes in Indonesia. Key findings of the analysis indicate that a clear relationship and established links exist between gender and maritime security studies. Both women and men have a role to play as security providers, victims and crime perpetrators in the context of contemporary maritime security challenges, but geographical spaces and maritime zone delimitations largely define the ways in which they are currently affected. It finally identifies the need to better integrate the land-sea nexus in contemporary maritime security to improve our understanding of existing challenges and inform / change prevailing cultures and stereotypes surrounding the role of gender within this context.

A Jurisdictional Assessment of International Fisheries Subsidies Disciplines to Combat Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing

Fisheries subsidies regulation lies at the intersection of international fisheries and international trade governance regimes. Although eradicating harmful fisheries subsidies cannot be a panacea for illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, it is an essential first step to confront the problem head-on. The multilateral Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, adopted by the World Trade Organization (WTO) in June 2022, provides an impetus for sovereign states to steer fisheries subsidies reform towards commonly agreed legality, sustainability and transparency benchmarks. This legal and policy investigation aims to give increased attention to the ultimate responsibility of national governments to exercise active fisheries jurisdiction over the identification and sanction of IUU fishing activities. With or without WTO prior judgements, a level of jurisdictional coherence is warranted to trigger a comprehensive and effective ban on IUU fisheries subsidies in as timely a manner as possible.

Insights on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing Activities by Egyptian Vessels in Neighbouring Countries

Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is recognised as one of the largest threats to the sustainability of the world’s fisheries. The fight against IUU fishing activities has recently become a high priority in the international fisheries management agenda. While a number of academic contributions have sought to improve the understanding of the problem, data are still limited, especially in developing countries. In the absence of any information in this regard in Egypt, this contribution is the first attempt to report the available information about cases of Egyptian fishing vessels detained for fishing illegally in neighbouring countries, including the Mediterranean and Red Seas. The highest number of cases was observed in 2015 (7 cases) followed by 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2020 (each with 5 cases). The highest number of detained vessels by far was observed in 2020 (44 vessels) followed by 2015 (19 vessels). Tunisia was the country with the highest number of cases (17 cases) followed by Libya (10 cases), while Somalia detained the highest number of vessels (42 vessels) followed by Libya (22 vessels). The results shed light on the problems that led to this situation, starting with depleted fisheries, a poor monitoring system and a difficult economic situation in the fishing sector.

Fishers’ migration in the small pelagic fishery of Ghana: A case of small-scale fisheries management

Ghana is a fishing nation with a long tradition of active fishing industry in the West Africa sub-region. However, continuous decline in catches, coupled with other socio-economic conditions has resulted in unprecedented migration of fishers. This study aims to better understand migration in the small-scale fisheries sector of Ghana in order to ensure fisheries resources sustainability and secure fishers' livelihoods. We investigated the sources and demographic characteristics of migrant fishers, the patterns of migration (internal and international), accessibility of fishery resources in the host communities, and management and conservation of fishery resources in the host communities.We employed a mixed method in collecting information from local fishers, Chief Fishermen and Fisheries Technical Officers and analysed documents on fishers migration. Our findings revealed that Sekondi, Tema and Apam were the most important internal destinations for migrant fishers while Togo, Benin and Ivory Coast were the most visited transboundary destinations. The main driver for migration to other fishing communities was the desire to catch more fish with information for migration mostly gained through personal experience, friends and relatives. Migrant fishers in host communities have unlimited access to the resources, provided they go through the required protocols (such as payment of landing fee token, and obtaining the necessary documentation). The most common types of gears used by migrant fishers were set nets (35%), poli-watsa (19%) and drift gillnets (46%). The incidence of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing methods such as light fishing, blast fishing and the use of small mesh-sized fishing gears were minimal among migrant fishers in the host communities. In conclusion, the activities of Ghanaian migrant fishers in both internal and transboundary communities are essential to the socio-economic development and food security requirements of the host communities as well as the wellbeing of dependent households. Therefore, there is the need to formulate policies for managing the activities of these migrant fishers for sustainable management of the small pelagic fisheries resources.

Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing in Indonesia: Problems and Solutions

Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing is one of seven major threats to global maritime security listed by the United Nations. IUU fishing can be caused by economic factors, social factors, institutional factors, and organized IUU fishing operations. This review article discusses the topic of IUU fishing in Indonesia, as well as remedies to the problem that have been previously investigated and potentially can be applied in Indonesia. IUU fishing can result in economic losses, environmental degradation, and economic loss for coastal communities, as well as a reduction in fish stocks. Indonesia has vast marine resources, and making better use of them can boost the country’s economic progress. IUU fishing is still happening in Indonesia and it caused an economic loss. According to reports, IUU fishing caused Indonesia to lose up to IDR 101 trillion annually. Therefore, appropriate strategies are needed. For this reason, the government has given IUU fishing a high priority for resolution. As it is critical to resolving the IUU fishing issue. It can be inferred that, in terms of combating IUU fishing, there are three critical aspects to consider. They are law and regulation, social and government cooperation, and technology investment, especially in monitoring, control, and surveillance.

Maritime law enforcement: Indonesia's experience against illegal fishing

Maritime law enforcement is very important duty for a coastal state as failure to properly enforce maritime security law can result in undermining the sovereignty, security, and safety of a coastal state. The high number of maritime crimes occurring in Indonesian waters shows that this country is still faced with the enforcement of maritime security laws in dealing with illegal fishing. This paper examines the international and national laws relevant to maritime security and analyses the institutions arrangement of maritime security in Indonesia. To analyze the issues and countermeasures of illegal fishing, this research uses the case study method. This case study uses data on illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing that occurred in Indonesian waters in 2015–2020. Finally, the recommendations for creating an omnibus law and establishing a new maritime security agency to improve the performance of maritime security law enforcement in Indonesia are proposed.