Fighting Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing in - Oceana Europe

Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing

Fighting Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing in

One in five fish taken from the ocean comes from illegal fishing. Having more public information on who can fish what, when, and where would help ensure better fisheries management and protection of the ocean.

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Overview

One in five fish taken from the ocean comes from illegal fishing. Having more public information on who can fish what, when, and where would help ensure better fisheries management and protection of the ocean in Europe and worldwide.

A lack of transparency in the global seafood supply chain means that it is difficult to know who can fish what, where, and when. Illegal fishers take advantage of these gaps in the system, especially in countries where governance is weak or lack the capacity to monitor fishing activity in their waters.

IUU fishing is a low-risk, high-reward activity, especially on the high seas where a fragmented legal framework and lack of effective enforcement allow it to thrive. Illegal fishing can include fishing without authorisation, ignoring catch limits, operating in closed areas, targeting protected wildlife, and fishing with prohibited gear. These actions not only contribute to overfishing, but also give illegal fishers an unfair advantage over those who play by the rules.  

At Oceana, we are actively promoting that the requirements for transparency and access to public information on EU Member States’ control efforts are included in the future EU law on fisheries control, including tracking requirements for all small-scale fishing vessels in the EU.

Oceana is part of the EU Fisheries Control Coalition to ensure that fisheries management in the EU safeguards ocean health and marine life, and of the EU IUU Fishing Coalition to promote EU leadership in improving global fisheries transparency to end IUU fishing.