IUU (Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated) fishing

Sustainability is a state in which the environment, society, and economy exist in good balance. When we think about the fishing industry, it means that the marine environment and ecosystems are healthy, the regions and people involved in the fishing industry are protected, and the economy develops sustainably. However, there are things that are preventing this.

This is IUU (Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated) fishing.

When we hear IUU fishing, we tend to think of it as "illegal fishing," but it also has a meaning other than "illegal." IUU fishing is defined as "illegal fishing" by the International Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported, Unregulated Fishing (IPOA-IUU).DefinitionIt can be summarized as follows:

Illegal: Operating without a license from a state or fisheries management agency, or in violation of national or international law.
Non-reporting: Failing to report fishing activities or data (e.g. catch volume) in violation of laws and regulations, or falsely reporting or misreporting such activities or data
Unregulated: Vessels that are stateless or not members of a local fisheries management organization operate without compliance with regulations or international law for the conservation of marine resources.

*IUU Fishing Countermeasures Forum "What is IUU Fishing?" pageEdited based on

What are the problems with IUU fishing?

What problems does IUU fishing cause?

1. Decline in fisheries resources and biodiversity

IUU fishing, which does not respect designated fishing grounds, fishing gear, and fishing seasons, catches more than the designated amount, and by-catch endangered species, threatens the depletion of marine resources and the conservation of biodiversity. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)*1, the amount of marine resources in the world's oceans has been on a downward trend since 1974, and while 90% of them were in a sustainable state, by 2017, this had decreased to 65.8%. Looking at the breakdown of this, 59.2% are being fished to the limit of their sustainable amount, and only 6.2% have a surplus of fish. IUU fishing is dealing a further blow to these marine resources.

2. Disrupting proper resource management

Reporting fishing results and accumulating data is the basis of resource management. If reports are not made or false reports are made, the premise of resource management will be undermined, accurate resource management will become impossible, and it could lead to the depletion of marine resources. For example, licensed fishermen are required to report the amount of Japanese eel juveniles, or glass eels, they have caught to prefectures, but it is estimated that 2020% of these were not reported in fiscal 36.8.

The current situation surrounding eels and measures(Fisheries Agency, May 3)

3. Criminal acts such as human rights violations

Another problem with IUU fishing is the frequent occurrence of criminal acts such as violations of workers' human rights. For example, it was reported that 62% of 92 Taiwanese long-distance fishing vessels suffered pay cuts, 82% suffered long working hours, and 24% suffered physical violence*2. Such cases have been confirmed not only in Taiwan, but also in Southeast Asian countries, as well as Ireland and the United Kingdom*3. In addition, in May 2021, the United States Customs and Border Protection banned the import of all 5 fishing vessels owned by China's Dalian Ocean Fishing Company, citing violence against Indonesian crew members. This was the first case in the country of import restrictions on all fishing vessels owned by a single company*32. In addition, piracy, smuggling of drugs and weapons, and human trafficking may occur during or under the guise of fishing*1.

4. Economic losses for fishermen

Once distributed to the market, seafood caught through IUU fishing is indistinguishable from seafood caught in compliance with regulations, depriving fishermen who comply with regulations of the opportunity to compete in a fair market. The total amount is estimated to be 260-500 billion US dollars per year worldwide*6, and it is said that 2015-24% of seafood imported to Japan in 36, equivalent to 1,800-2,700 billion yen, was from IUU fishing.

Examples of illegal fishing
"BLOOD AND WATER Human rights abuse in the global seafood industry" (Environmental Justice Foundation, 2019, p.9)

Cooperation is needed across countries and markets

Seafood is one of the world's most traded commodities*7. And fish know no borders. IUU fishing cannot be eradicated unless countries and organizations around the world work together. The conservation and management measures of RFMOs (Regional Fisheries Management Organizations), which manage the world's fishery resources by ocean area, and SDGs 2015 and 14.4 adopted by the United Nations in 14.6 set out the abolition of IUU fishing itself and the subsidies that lead to it, calling for cooperation among countries.

At the same time, efforts by companies at actual production sites and in the supply chain that handle seafood are also essential.