• The Journal of Fisheries Business Administration
• /
• v.41 no.3
• /
• pp.103-127
• /
• 2010

The FAO reports that IUU fishing activities have widespread economic, social, and management consequences, including depriving legitimate fishers of harvest opportunities. It affects all fisheries from small scale to industrial. It also affects the ability of governments to support sustainable livelihoods for fishers and, more broadly, to achieve food security. The complexity of IUU requires various measures to combat IUU fishing such as adoption of IUU vessel lists; stronger port State controls; improved monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS); implementation of market-related measures to help ensure compliance; and capacity-building assistance. Trade and market measures reduce opportunities for IUU fishing activities by precluding or impeding access to markets for IUU product in a manner consistent with international law. ICCAT, CCAMLR, and IATTC, have put in place trade tracking programs or catch documentation schemes, and WCPFC is considering such a program. Vessel lists assist enforcement authorities in determining which vessels are or are not authorized to be fishing or conducting fishing support activities in specified areas. A number of RFMOs maintain records of IUU vessels: CCAMLR, IATTC, ICCAT, NAFO, NASCO, NPAFC, WCPFC. Section 608 of the US MSRA calling on the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of State, and in cooperation with relevant regional fishery management councils and any relevant advisory committees, to take actions to improve the effectiveness of international fishery management organizations in conserving and managing stocks under their jurisdiction. EU IUU Regulation entered into force on 1 January 2010, was intended to regulate the highly complex multi-channel fisheries supply system of the European Community (EC) in an effort to improve global fisheries sustainability.