Tackling illegal fishing practices in Africa’s protected waters

Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is increasingly affecting the fisheries revenues of developing countries. The global cost of IUU fishing practices is estimated to be in excess of US$ 2.4 billion annually, about US$900 million for sub-Saharan Africa alone.

Research by the Marine Resources Assessment Group, UK, which reviewed the impact of IUU fishing on developing countries, found that the level of IUU fishing was inversely correlated with their state of governance. IUU fishing in sub-Saharan Africa primarily affects tuna fisheries in east African states and mixed fisheries in west African states. West Africa, the Mozambique Channel, Somalia and central Africa are particular problem areas: targeting relatively modest funds here could significantly increase government incomes from fishing, improve livelihoods and contribute to food security, although the income increase might not always equate to the full value of the IUU catch.

The research found:

• Governance improvements are the most effective way to combat IUU fishing and would eliminate local and central government corruption, enforce vessel licensing obligations and improve the capacity for detecting IUU activity and enforcing regulations.
• Countries with European Union or similar access agreements appear more capable of controlling IUU fishing than others, reflecting the long-term capacity-building effect of such agreements.
• The open register system reduces the licensing and operating costs of vessels using so-called “Flags of Convenience and thereby encourages IUU activity.

In addition to revenue losses, IUU fishing creates significant damage to marine habitats, including high levels of unwanted species discards and death of turtles, birds and mammals. Globally, ecological damage by regulated fleets currently exceeds that of IUU fleets only because most regional fisheries management bodies have few regulations to control environmental impacts.

The research recommends:

• strengthening current agreements to enforce the reporting of catches and inspections in ports
• donors supporting developing countries to establish control mechanisms for their own vessels throughout the world and foreign vessels fishing in their waters
• better cooperation between developing countries, especially surveillance organisations
• funding several supportive initiatives, including observers on foreign vessels, training programmes for observers and inspectors, encouraging cooperative activities between licensed industry and non-licensed fishermen and funding research into sustainable fisheries practices.
• discouraging states from operating open registers for fishing vessels
• encouraging all states to ratify and implement international agreements effectively to control fishing vessels 
• developing satellite-based monitoring systems, including support for vessel monitoring.

Source(s):
‘Synthesis Report - Review of Impacts of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing on Developing Countries’, by Marine Resources Assessment Group Ltd, June 2005 Full document.
‘Final Report - Review of Impacts of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing on Developing Countries’, by Marine Resources Assessment Group Ltd, June 2005 Full document.
‘IUU Fishing on the High Seas: Impacts on Ecosystems and Future Science Needs’, by Marine Resources Assessment Group Ltd, August 2005 Full document.

Funded by: UK Department for International Development

id21 Research Highlight: 30 November 2005

Further Information:
David Agnew
Marine Resources Assessment Group
18 Queen Street
London W1J 5PN
UK

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7255 7755
Contact the contributor: d.agnew@mrag.co.uk

Marine Resources Assessment Group, UK

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'Adaptive learning: a new approach to natural resources management'

'Addressing challenges in co-management information systems'

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