IUU FISHING – THE FISHING WARS ARE COMING

Abstract

Fisheries have been the most critical determinant of food security, nutritional well-being, and livelihood for coastal
communities since prehistoric times and continue to be the mainstay of sustenance for vulnerable coastal populations in
developing coastal states. The notion of wild fish being abundant is obsolete; most stocks are overexploited, and large predatory
fish populations have almost collapsed due to industrial fishing. Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Unsustainable fishing practices result in the loss of millions of tons annually, exacerbating ecological degradation, undermining
coastal economies, compromising food security, and distorting fishery supply chains. Weak international and domestic legal
regimes, combined with weak ocean governance, have created a classic tragedy of the commons that incentivises
overexploitation and fuels economic inequality. Such exploitative pressures on the marine resources, particularly the fisheries,
have translated into maritime tensions and interstate disputes, particularly in regions where fish remains one of the primary
sources of food and the local economy. Globally, fisheries-related tensions led to numerous interstate disputes between 1993
and 2010. Interstate conflicts over diminishing fishery resources are becoming a growing maritime security threat. This paper
analyses the environmental, economic, legal, and security dimensions to highlight the drivers of IUU fishing and its impact. It
examines case studies of fisheries-related interstate confrontations and the likelihood of future fishery-related interstate
flashpoints. The paper concludes that robust international cooperation, a strong legal framework, effective enforcement, and
sustainable fishery management can avert further ecological degradation, reduce the risk of conflict over marine resources,
and protect the oceans for our future generations.