Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing

Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing remains one of the greatest threats to marine ecosystems due to its potent ability to undermine national and regional efforts to manage fisheries sustainably as well as endeavours to conserve marine biodiversity. IUU fishing takes advantage of corrupt administrations and exploits weak management regimes, in particular those of developing countries lacking the capacity and resources for effective monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS). IUU fishing is found in all types and dimensions of fisheries; it occurs both on the high seas and in areas within national jurisdiction, it concerns all aspects and stages of the capture and utilisation of fish, and it may sometimes be associated with organized crime. Fisheries resources available to bona fide fishers are removed by IUU fishing, which can lead to the collapse of local fisheries, with small-scale fisheries in developing countries proving particularly vulnerable. Products derived from IUU fishing can find their way into overseas trade markets thus throttling local food supply. IUU fishing therefore threatens livelihoods, exacerbates poverty, and augments food insecurity.

In depth

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Spanish | Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.  The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food issues a press release in conjunction with the closure of the fourth edition of the FAO International Course on Fisheries Port Inspections in support of...
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The sixth Meeting of the Global Record Informal Open-Ended Technical and Advisory Working Group (GRWG) was held in Rome on 12 December 2022. The meeting was attended by experts from FAO Members, intergovernmental organisations and international non-governmental organisations. Issues discussed included...
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Watch this short 1-minute animation here. Updated: July 2024.
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Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing indicators apply readily available data and straightforward calculations to measure something that provides insight into – but does not actually estimate – the level of IUU fishing. In doing so, indicators aim to evaluate...