Estimating the Worldwide Extent of Illegal Fishing

Summary

Illegal and unreported fishing contributes to overexploitation of fish stocks and is a hindrance to the recovery of fish populations and ecosystems. This study is the first to undertake a world-wide analysis of illegal and unreported fishing. Reviewing the situation in 54 countries and on the high seas, we estimate that lower and upper estimates of the total value of current illegal and unreported fishing losses worldwide are between $10 bn and $23.5 bn annually, representing between 11 and 26 million tonnes. Our data are of sufficient resolution to detect regional differences in the level and trend of illegal fishing over the last 20 years, and we can report a significant correlation between governance and the level of illegal fishing. Developing countries are most at risk from illegal fishing, with total estimated catches in West Africa being 40% higher than reported catches. Such levels of exploitation severely hamper the sustainable management of marine ecosystems. Although there have been some successes in reducing the level of illegal fishing in some areas, these developments are relatively recent and follow growing international focus on the problem. This paper provides the baseline against which successful action to curb illegal fishing can be judged.

Key Points

• 1Illegal fishing results in an estimated annual loss of ten to twenty-three point five billion U.S. dollars
• 2The study analyzed data from fifty-four countries and high seas regions
• 3Developing countries are particularly vulnerable to illegal fishing activities
• 4There is a strong correlation between governance quality and illegal fishing levels
• 5The paper establishes a baseline for future evaluations of anti-illegal fishing efforts.

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