Illegal Fishing represents one of the largest markets open to and exploited by organised criminal groups, but beyond overfishing and the environmental challenges this brings, other serious crimes are also involved, including drugs and human trafficking, corruption and tax evasion, particularly effecting developing Countries. its time Illegal fishing was considered as a major financial crime issue as well as an environmental one. For more read the Intelligence Briefing on IUU Fishing by FCN.
With fish and other aquatic animals an important part of many peoples diet, it’s estimated by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, that we catch approximately 171 million metric tons (likely more than 2 trillion fish) annually (2016) worth an estimated USD362 billion. Of this USD 232 billion is estimated to be from so called aquaculture production (i.e. farming), with the balance (i.e. USD130 billion) coming from commercial fishing in the high seas. Whilst domestic markets represent overall the largest markets, exports amount to USD152 billion, with 54 percent originating from developing countries, supplying 3 billion people who rely on fish for their primary source of protein. The FAO also estimates that out of approx 5,000 individual fish stocks, 60% of world fisheries are fully-fished meaning the potential for food has been realised without jeopardising the future abundance of the fish), but that 33% of fish stocks are over fished (over exploited jeopardising the future sustainability of these fish stocks). This is a deterioration from 10% in 1974 to 33% in 2015. As the size of these individual fish stocks vary, a recent estimate suggests that about 82% of consumed fish are sustainable while 18% come from unsustainable fisheries.
Many millions of people around the world find a source of income and livelihood in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors. According to the FAO almost 60 million people were engaged in the sector in 2016 with two thirds or approx 40 million in fishing, of which 85% were in Asia, followed by 10% in Africa, utilising over 4 million fishing vessels. The fleet in Asia was the largest, consisting of 3.5 million vessels, accounting for 75 percent of the global fleet.
Of the 5,000 plus fish species available, the most popular 5 catches make up almost 25% of total fish capture, being Mackerel, Anchovy, Tuna, Sardines and Pollock. The most popular fishing grounds are those of the Pacific North West which lands almost a quarter of the global catch, (22.4 million metric tons), followed by the Pacific West and Central (12.7 mmt), the Atlantic North East (8.3 mmt), the East Indian Ocean (6.4 mmt) and the West Indian Ocean (4.9mmt).
Endangered Fish Species
There are plenty of other fish in the sea, we are told but according. to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of endangered species, 5 percent of the world’s known species, are at risk for extinction. While habitat loss and pollution are significant factors in the decline of these species, the greatest threat by far is overfishing. According to WWF, we are seeing “the precipitous decline of key fish stocks such as bluefin tuna and Grand Banks cod, as well as collateral impacts to other marine life. Hundreds of thousands of marine mammals, seabirds, and sea turtles are captured each year, alongside tens of millions of sharks. Many of these species are endangered and protected, while some such as the vaquita, Eastern Pacific leatherback turtle, and Maui dolphin are on the brink of extinction.”
Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing
IUU fishing is not only a major threat to ocean ecosystems worldwide, it is detrimental to the legal fishery trade and has been linked to organised crime. The depletion of fish stocks through IUU fishing threatens global food security, along with the livelihoods of those millions of people engaged in legitimate fishing. IUU fishing is also often found to be associated with many other forms of transnational organised crime, for example, according to the UNODC, Illegal fishing is “frequently transnational and organised in nature” and involves, “document fraud, drug trafficking, and money laundering.” “Criminal activities in the fisheries sector are often regarded as synonymous with illegal fishing, which many States do not view or prosecute as criminal offences, but rather as a fisheries management concern, attracting low and usually administrative penalties. Organised criminal organisations thus engage in fisheries crime with relative impunity due both to low risk and high profits and uncoordinated, ineffective domestic and cross-border law enforcement efforts.” see the UNODC Factsheet on Fisheries Crime–
According to the FAO, the trade in shark fin is causing catastrophic harm to the marine ecosystem. At least 73 million sharks are killed each year by finning, though some estimate that finning kills up to 100 million sharks each year. Estimates of the global value of the shark fin trade range from US$540 million to US$1.2 billion a year.
Shark finning is the act of removing fins from sharks and discarding the rest of the shark. The sharks are often still alive when discarded, but without their fins. Unable to swim effectively, they sink to the bottom of the ocean and die of suffocation or are eaten by other predators. Shark finning at sea enables fishing vessels to increase profitability and increase the number of sharks harvested, as they only have to store and transport the fins, by far the most profitable part of the shark.
Shark finning increased since 1997 largely due to the increasing demand for shark fins for shark fin soup and traditional cures, particularly in China. The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Shark Specialist Group say that shark finning is widespread, and that “the rapidly expanding and largely unregulated shark fin trade represents one of the most serious threats to shark populations worldwide.”
According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), there are also “strong indicators that forced labour in the fisheries sector is frequently linked to other forms of transnational organised fisheries crime.” Trafficking for the purpose of forced labor “in furtherance of both sea-and shore-based operations” is frequent; it is a global problem, but West Africa and South and Southeast Asia are particular hotspots. Trafficking of children in the fishing industry is commonplace in these regions, as is physical abuse, forced labor, and debt bondage. The fishing industry is vulnerable to such human rights abuses because, unlike merchant vessels, there are no international regulations or port state control measures that govern on-board living and working conditions. With fishing stocks depleted in many parts of the world, fishing vessels must travel much further away from shore to fish and can remain there for long periods of time. Crews in these circumstances are more susceptible to abuse as they are isolated from aid and unable to escape.
At the country level, illegal fishing can also cost governments tax revenue. According to the OECD, the three primary ways that fishing operators commit tax fraud are by “disguising the origin of fish, under- declaring the size of a catch and incorrectly describing the species or products caught or sold.” This defrauds consumers and deprives developing country governments of important tax revenue
Estimates of the size of IUU Fisheries Trade through research by FCN likely values the trade as between US$19-45 billion, based on 2016 data. This is an increase on previous estimates from Global Financial Integrity “GFI”). In a Report issued in 2017, called Transnational Crime in the Developing World, GFI estimated the value as between US$15.5 to US$36.4 billion (based on 2011-2014 fishing data, and based on a previous study published in 2009, itself based on fishing data from 2000-2003, which had valued the IUU Fisheries Trade at US$10-23.5 billion, which is the most often quoted number. The new 2016 number, simply updates the numbers with those now available which shows the increase to between US$19-45 billion.
The United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) include commitments on IUU fishing, for example to ‘end overfishing, illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing’ and “to eliminate state subsidies that contribute to these practices,” (targets 14.4 and 14.6). The only indicators against which progress is currently measured, however are the proportion of fish stocks within sustainable levels and states’ implementation of international instruments aiming to combat IUU fishing, which leaves a major evidence gap as to where interventions are most needed, and how states’ performance measures against others. In order to fill this evidence gap, the IUU Fishing Index, was created and first published in January 2019. The Index benchmarks countries’ vulnerability, prevalence and response to IUU fishing, based on a suite of 40 indicators.
IUU Fishing Index
The scores from the Index yield both expected and unexpected results.
- While Belgium came out with the most favourable score for all indicators combined (1.43, China fared worst, with an overall score of 3.93. (Scores: 1 = best-performing; 5 = worst-performing), and a Global Average of 2.92.Many developing countries in Africa, Asia and Oceania are highlighted as areas of concern, primarily because they lack state resources to fully respond to the threats posed by IUU fishing.
- However, several industrialised countries also scored as vulnerable thanks to extensive fishing infrastructure requiring sophisticated regulatory capacity.
- By region, Asia displays the poorest scores in terms of prevalence of IUU fishing; of the ocean basins, the East Indian Ocean has the worst score; and China, Taiwan Cambodia and vietnam all perform especially poorly. Countries from other regions and ocean basins scoring badly include Russia and Panama. Europe and North America score best on measures of response to IUU fishing, but Oceania also performs well, highlighting the high priority given to fisheries by countries and regional institutions.
Whilst China comes bottom of these ratings, it should be recognised that China stands out when it comes to Fishing, compared to any other Country. China has almost 15 million people engaged in Fisheries (9.4 million in Fishing / 5 million in Fish Farming), and controls 12% of the global market via its fleet of 220,000 motorised fishing vessels, of which 25,600 are at least least 100 ton ships.
Whilst Illegal fishing is a global phenomenon, however it is particularly concentrated in developing countries as they are responsible for 82.7 percent of the total international trade in fishery commodities. Illegal fishing operations regularly target port states with weak monitoring and enforcement because they can operate with relative impunity. Developing countries, which often lack the resources, rule of law, and/or political will to sufficiently monitor and enforce fishing regulations, bear the greatest burden, frequently economic, of illegal fishing due to their reliance on the fishing industry.
The prevalence of IUU fishing in the world is more concentrated in regional hotspots for IUU fishing which are in the Eastern Pacific, the Northwest Pacific, West Africa, Southeast Asia, and Pacific Islands.
The EU Carding System
The introduction of the carding system by the EU has seen 25 countries yellow carded, with six receiving red cards since 2010, when EU regulations were brought in to list third countries of concern. Countries such as Cambodia, Comoros & St Vincent & Grenadines remain red carded and are therefore banned from supplying EU markets. Countries that remain yellow carded are Vietnam, Taiwan, Kiribati, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Trinidad & Tobago & St Kitts & Nevis. Countries previously listed that have been delisted most recently include, Thailand that was deemed to have sufficiently addressed concerns and was delisted in January 2019. Calls have been made for the US and Japan to join such a system and jointly issue cards, which would make this system even more powerful and effective.
Areas of Concern and Potential Red Flags
In addition to material exposures to Countries of Concern (see above), Potential additional “Red Flags” may include: fishing for fish species with a high market value; taking Flags of Convenience, transparency Issues with vessel ownership and inadequate use of vessel tracking technology, involvement in Transhipment, use of Ports that are not signed up to international standards, and inclusion on relevant watchlists. Fish Species that are targeted for illegal fishing often have high market values. Examples include tuna, Patagonian toothfish, crab, shrimp, and abalone. Patagonian toothfish, more commonly known as Chilean sea bass, are so lucrative that they are nicknamed “white gold.” This species usually has a legal-market value of more than US$10,000 per ton, while other highly sought species like tunas and lobsters average US$2,320 and US$9,000 per ton, respectively.
Flags of Convenience (FOCs) are a maritime legal regime that allows a vessel to be registered outside the country of ownership. The flag state (i.e., the country in which the vessel is registered) has legal authority over the vessels under its flag and is responsible for enforcing national regulations. Countries that “specialise” in offering FOCs principally do so to collect revenues from fees, services, and taxes, though they routinely do not have the ability and/or desire to exercise adequate control over vessels flying their flag, particularly those operating in distant waters.. The International Transport Workers’ Federation, has declared 33 countries and territories as offering FOCs and of these, 23 are developing countries and 3 are landlocked.
Vessel Ownership & Registration – according to the Environmental Justice Foundation, the adoption of a global record “with consistent and validated vessel, company and owner information, underpinned by an International Maritime Organization (IMO) number as a unique vessel identifier (UVI), is a practical, feasible and cost-effective step to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing by driving transparency and traceability throughout the seafood supply chain.” Currently, only non-fishing commercial vessels are required by the IMO to be registered with the vessel numbering scheme. That said, whilst there are a variety of actors involved in IUU fishing, from individual operators and small enterprises to multinational companies and organised criminal syndicates, some of the most damaging illegal fishing is conducted by seemingly legitimate enterprises, often fleets of corporate trawlers, which engage in harmful and unlawful fishing practices in order to maximise profits and the veneer of legitimacy makes it difficult to detect the underlying illegal activity.
Vessel Tracking – tracking is not possible for most of the estimated 4 million fishing vessels in the world. Still, 200,000 larger vessels publicise their locations via the automated identification systems. Global Fishing Watch enables users with Internet access to monitor fishing activity globally, and to view “individual vessel tracks, exclusive economic zones, marine protected areas, and other features.” It is hoped that the initiative can help to reduce “global overfishing, illegal fishing and habitat destruction.” According to Global Fishing Watch, “We are revolutionising the ability to monitor the global commercial fishing fleet, offering near real-time tracking of fishing activity via a public map, for free, to track fishing boats and download data about their past and present activities.” Some vessels with trackers have been known to switch them off while they operate in “questionable locations” then switch them back on when they return to safer waters, which may itself be a potential red flag.
Vessel Watchlists – watchlists are available identifying vessels that have been found to carry out or support IUU fishing and can be searched to identify and monitor the global fishing vessel fleet for illegal activities.
Transhipment – exchanging fish catch, crew or supplies between boats at sea is common, but it also creates the opportunity for illegal activity involving drugs and people, for example human rights abuses have been associated with transshipment. By allowing fishing vessels to remain at sea for months or even years captains can impose conditions on crew that amount to conditions of forced labour and modern slavery.
Ports of Landing – Ports with lax enforcement or limited inspections have traditionally been a weak point in the global fight against IUU fishing. With adoption of the Port States Measures Agreement (PSMA), and its entry into force in June 2016, (by 30 States – now up to 50 States) designed to prevent illegally caught fish from entering ports, Countries subject to PSMA have committed to exerting greater port controls on commercial foreign-flagged vessels. For foreign fishing vessels wishing to enter PSMA Ports, they must first request permission in advance, transmitting detailed information on their identities, activities, and the fish they have onboard, with landings only permitted at specially designated ports equipped for effective inspections. Ships suspected of being involved in illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing can be denied entry into port outright – or permitted to enter for inspection purposes only and refused permission to offload fish, refuel, or resupply. Vessels that are allowed into ports may be subject to inspections conducted according to a common set of standards. They will be required to prove that they are licensed to fish by the country whose flag they fly, and that they have the necessary permissions from the countries in whose waters they operate. If not, or if inspections turn up evidence of IUU fishing activity, vessels will be denied any further use of ports and reported as violators. Once a ship is denied access or inspections reveal problems, parties must communicate that information to the country under whose flag the vessel is registered and inform other treaty participants as well as Ports in neighbouring countries.
What can you do to help?
For Financial Institutions, consider whether IUU Fishing is relevant for you, based on the risks posed and in particular whether you need to include combatting this within your financial crime programme. The potential Red Flags and materials above can be used for this purpose, particularly in awareness raising but also in designing and updating controls.
Beyond this FI’s should consider whether IIU Fishing should be included within their Corporate & Social Responsibility programmes, which may go further than IUU Fishing by also denying access to financial services from commercial activities that damage the oceans. For example by involvement in losing so called “ghost gear” which is a major contributor to all marine litter, (estimated to be as much as a tenth of all litter found in the ocean), or by using driftnet fishing, deep sea bottom trawling, or fishing with the use of explosives or cyanide. For an example of how to respond to IUU Fishing, by denying commercial operations any access to financial services see here from Standard Chartered Bank.
Every time wild-caught fish is bought at a restaurant, store, or waterfront dock, there is a 1 in 5 chance that it was caught illegally. Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing accounts for anything up to 27 million metric tons of fish annually, worth up to $45 billion. This equates to more than 800 Kgs of wild-caught fish stolen from the seas every second. With fish stocks under pressure and some species endangered, it is more critical than ever that steps be taken to address illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
According to a December 2018 Report by the OECD titled; “Combatting Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing: Where countries stand and where efforts should concentrate in the future” they identify six policy areas for government intervention in relation to IUU fishing. These relate to increased responsibility by flag states (regulating domestically flagged fishing vessels in the areas beyond their national jurisdiction and in foreign exclusive economic zones), by coastal states (regulating vessels in the domestic exclusive economic zone), by port states (applying port controls and regulating the flow of products to the market) and by market states (creating economic disincentives for IUU fishing and using market tools to detect illegal seafood moving along the supply chain). The final two relate to enforcement to improve the capacity of monitoring, control and surveillance schemes, national inter-agency co-operation practices, and the comprehensiveness of existing sanctioning systems, and finally international co-operation, to improve the scope of international co-operation against IUU fishing.
These actions are clear, and so are the choices. We will miss the UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2020 for Fishing, but we still have time and a responsibility to act to save life in our oceans. To ensure sustainable fish stocks a more robust response is needed not only to IUU Fishing as an environmental issue but as a criminal one too.
Uvuvi haramu ni moja ya masoko makubwa zaidi ya kufunguliwa na kutumiwa na makundi ya uhalifu uliopangwa, lakini zaidi ya uvuvi wa kupita kiasi na changamoto za mazingira zinazoleta, uhalifu mwingine mkubwa pia unahusika, ikiwa ni pamoja na dawa za kulevya na biashara ya binadamu, ufisadi na uvuvi wa kodi, hasa kuathiri nchi zinazoendelea. Wakati huo, uvuvi haramu ulionwa kama tatizo kubwa la uhalifu wa kifedha na pia mazingira. Kwa maelezo zaidi, soma taarifa ya ujasusi juu ya Uvuvi wa IUU na FCN. Kwa kuwa samaki na wanyama wengine wa majini ni sehemu muhimu ya lishe ya watu wengi, inakadiriwa na Shirika la Chakula na Kilimo la Umoja wa Mataifa (FAO) kwamba tunavua takriban tani milioni moja za metrik (labda zaidi ya samaki bilioni mbili) kila mwaka (mwaka 2016) yenye thamani ya takriban dola za Marekani bilioni 17,362. Kwa mujibu wa takwimu za serikali, dola bilioni 232 za Marekani zinatoka kwa viwanda vya ufugaji wa samaki (aquaculture). kilimo, na usawa (yaani Kwa mfano, dola bilioni 130 zinatoka kwa uvuvi wa kibiashara katika bahari ya juu. Wakati masoko ya ndani yanawakilisha jumla ya masoko makubwa, mauzo ya nje ni dola bilioni 152 na asilimia 54 hutoka nchi zinazoendelea, na kuandaa watu bilioni 3 ambao hutegemea samaki kama chanzo cha msingi cha protini. FAO pia inakadiria kwamba kati ya samaki 5,000, 60% ya samaki duniani ni kabisa kuvuliwa, maana ya uwezekano kwa ajili ya chakula imekuwa alitumia bila kuhatarisha wingi wa samaki baadaye, lakini kwamba 33% ya samaki ni overfished (over exploited, kuhatarisha uendelevu wa samaki hawa baadaye). Hii ni kupungua kutoka asilimia 10 mwaka 1974 hadi asilimia 33 mwaka 2015. Kwa kuwa ukubwa wa samaki wa samaki hutofautiana, makadirio ya hivi karibuni yanaonyesha kwamba karibu asilimia 82 ya samaki wanaotumiwa ni wa kudumu, wakati asilimia 18 hutoka kwa uvuvi usio endelevu. Mamilioni ya watu duniani kote hupata chanzo cha mapato na riziki katika sekta za uvuvi na ufugaji wa samaki. Kulingana na FAO, karibu watu milioni 60 walifanya kazi katika sekta hiyo mnamo 2016, na theluthi mbili au karibu milioni 40 katika uvuvi, ambao 85% walikuwa Asia, ikifuatiwa na 10% Afrika, wakitumia zaidi ya meli za uvuvi milioni 4. Meli za Asia zilikuwa kubwa zaidi, zikiwa na meli milioni 3.5 na kuwakilisha asilimia 75 ya meli za dunia. Kati ya aina za samaki zaidi ya 5,000 zinazopatikana, samaki watano maarufu zaidi hufanyiza karibu 25% ya jumla ya samaki waliovuliwa, kuwa Mackerel, Anchovy, Tuna, Sardines na Pollock. "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, ""mkoa wa Pasifiki Kaskazini Magharibi ndio unaopatikana kwa karibu robo ya samaki wote duniani, kwa tani milioni 24.4, ikifuatiwa na Pasifiki Magharibi na Kati (12.7 mm), Atlantiki Kaskazini Mashariki (8.3 mm), Bahari ya Hindi Mashariki (6.4 mm) na Bahari ya Hindi Magharibi (4.9 mm)." Kuna aina nyingi za samaki katika bahari, lakini ni rahisi kugundua. Kulingana na orodha ya IUCN ya spishi zilizo hatarini mwa kutoweka, asilimia 5 ya spishi zinazojulikana duniani ziko hatarini mwa kutoweka. Ingawa kupoteza makao na uchafuzi wa mazingira ni mambo muhimu yanayohusika katika kupungua kwa idadi ya spishi hizo, tisho kubwa zaidi ni uvuvi kupita kiasi. Kulingana na WWF, tunaona <unk>kupungua kwa kasi kwa hifadhi muhimu za samaki kama vile tuna ya bluu na cod ya Grand Banks, pamoja na athari za dhamana kwa maisha mengine ya baharini. Mamia ya maelfu ya mamalia wa baharini, ndege wa baharini, na kasa wa baharini hutekwa kila mwaka, pamoja na mamilioni ya papa. "Kama vile, ""vaquita, leatherback, na dolphin ya Maui ni aina ya samaki wa baharini ambao ni hatari kwa mazingira ya bahari duniani kote, na pia ni hatari kwa biashara ya samaki wa kisheria na imehusishwa na uhalifu uliopangwa.""" Uharibifu wa samaki unaosababishwa na uvuvi haramu, unaoharibiwa na uvuvi wa haramu, unahatarisha usalama wa chakula duniani na pia maisha ya mamilioni ya watu wanaofanya uvuvi halali. Uvuvi haramu ni aina ya uhalifu unaohusishwa na uhalifu wa kimataifa, na mara nyingi huitwa uhalifu haramu kwa sababu ya udanganyifu wa hati, biashara haramu ya dawa za kulevya na uvuvi wa fedha, na mara nyingi huonwa kuwa sawa na uvuvi haramu, ambao mataifa mengi hayaoni au kushughulikia kama uhalifu, lakini kama wasiwasi wa usimamizi wa uvuvi. "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika taarifa ya UNODC ya ""Uhalifu wa Uvuvi,"" biashara ya shark fin inasababisha uharibifu mkubwa kwa mazingira ya baharini." Kila mwaka, samaki aina ya shaki milioni 73 huuawa kwa sababu ya kuondolewa kwa manyoya yao, ingawa watu fulani wanakadiria kwamba huenda ikawa kwamba samaki aina ya shaki milioni 100 huuawa kwa sababu ya kuondolewa kwa manyoya yao. Takwimu za thamani ya biashara ya shark fin duniani zinaonyesha kuwa inagharimu dola milioni 540 hadi bilioni 1.2 kwa mwaka. Kuondoa manyoya ya papa ni hatua ya kuondoa manyoya ya papa na kutupa sehemu iliyobaki ya papa. Mara nyingi papa hao bado huishi wanapotupwa, lakini hawana manyoya. Kwa kuwa hawawezi kuogelea vizuri, huanguka chini ya bahari na kufa kwa sababu ya kukosa maji au kulawa na wanyama wengine wanaowinda. Uvuvi wa shaki kwenye bahari huwezesha meli za uvuvi kuongeza faida na kuongeza idadi ya shaki zilizovunwa, kwani wanahitaji tu kuhifadhi na kusafirisha mabawa, ambayo ni sehemu yenye faida zaidi ya shaki. Uvuvi wa shark uliongezeka tangu mwaka 1997 hasa kutokana na kuongezeka kwa mahitaji ya shark fins kwa ajili ya supu ya shark fin na tiba za jadi, hasa nchini China. "Kulingana na Shirika la Kimataifa la Kazi (ILO), kuna pia ""viashiria vikali kwamba kazi ya kulazimishwa katika sekta ya uvuvi mara nyingi inahusiana na aina nyingine za uhalifu wa uvuvi uliopangwa wa kimataifa.""" Uuzaji wa watoto katika biashara ya uvuvi ni jambo la kawaida katika maeneo hayo, kama vile unyanyasaji wa kimwili, kazi ya kulazimishwa, na utumwa wa madeni. "Kama ilivyo kwa meli za kibiashara, sekta ya uvuvi ni hatari kwa ukiukaji wa haki za binadamu kwa sababu hakuna kanuni za kimataifa au hatua za udhibiti wa nchi za bandari zinazoongoza hali ya maisha na kazi ndani ya meli.""" Kwa kuwa samaki wamepungua katika sehemu nyingi za dunia, meli za uvuvi zinahitaji kusafiri mbali sana kutoka pwani ili kuvua samaki na zinaweza kukaa huko kwa muda mrefu. Wafanyakazi katika hali hizi ni zaidi ya kuathiriwa na unyanyasaji kama wao ni kutengwa na msaada na hawawezi kutoroka. Katika nchi mbalimbali, uvuvi haramu unaweza pia kuharibu mapato ya kodi ya serikali. Kulingana na OECD, njia tatu za msingi ambazo waendeshaji wa uvuvi hufanya udanganyifu wa kodi ni kwa kuficha asili ya samaki, kudai ukubwa wa samaki na kuelezea kwa usahihi spishi au bidhaa zilizovuliwa au kuuzwa, na hivyo kudanganya watumiaji na kuondoa mapato muhimu ya kodi kwa serikali za nchi zinazoendelea. Hii ni ongezeko juu ya makadirio ya awali kutoka Global Financial Integrity <unk> GFI<unk>). Katika ripoti yake ya 2017 ya Transnational Crime in the Developing World, GFI ilikadiria thamani ya biashara ya uvuvi ya IUU kuwa kati ya $ 15.5 na $ 36.4 bilioni, kulingana na takwimu za uvuvi wa 2011-2014 na utafiti wa awali uliochapishwa mnamo 2009 ambao ulikadiria biashara ya uvuvi ya IUU kuwa $ 10.23.5 bilioni. Nambari mpya ya 2016 inatoa tu idadi ya sasa na inaonyesha ongezeko la kati ya $ 19 bilioni na $ 45 bilioni. Mpango wa 2030 wa Umoja wa Mataifa kwa ajili ya Maendeleo Endelevu na malengo yake 17 ya Maendeleo Endelevu (SDGs) ni pamoja na ahadi juu ya Uvuvi wa IUU, kwa mfano "kumaliza uvuvi wa kupita kiasi, haramu, usio na udhibiti na usiojulikana" na "kuondoa ruzuku ya serikali ambayo inachangia mazoea haya" (lengo 14.4 na 14.6). Hata hivyo, kiashiria pekee ambacho maendeleo yanapimwa ni uwiano wa samaki katika viwango vya kudumu na utekelezaji wa vyombo vya kimataifa vya kupambana na uvuvi wa IUU, ambayo inaacha pengo kubwa la ushahidi kuhusu wapi uingiliaji unahitaji zaidi na jinsi nchi zinavyopima utendaji dhidi ya wengine. Ili kujaza pengo hili la ushahidi, Faharisi ya Uvuvi wa IUU iliundwa na kuchapishwa kwa mara ya kwanza mnamo Januari 2019. Kiwango cha Uvuvi wa IUU ni kiwango cha kuathiriwa na uvuvi wa IUU, na kiwango cha uvuvi wa IUU, kulingana na seti ya viashiria 40. IUU Uvuvi Index alama kutoka Index kuzalisha matokeo yote ya kutarajiwa na zisizotarajiwa. Ubelgiji ilipata alama nzuri zaidi kwa viashiria vyote pamoja (1.43) na China ilipata alama mbaya zaidi, kwa jumla ya 3.93. "Kama matokeo ya utafiti, ""mwisho wa ulimwengu"" ni 2.92 na ""mwisho wa ulimwengu"" ni 2.92 na ""mwisho wa ulimwengu"" ni 2.92 na ""mwisho wa dunia"" ni 2.92 na ""mwisho wa dunia"" ni 2.92 na ""mwisho wa dunia"" ni 2.92." - Hata hivyo, nchi kadhaa za viwanda pia zilipata alama kama dhaifu kwa sababu ya miundombinu ya uvuvi ya kina inayohitaji uwezo wa udhibiti wa kisasa. Kwa mkoa, Asia inaonyesha alama mbaya zaidi katika suala la kuenea kwa uvuvi wa IUU; ya mabwawa ya bahari, Bahari ya Hindi Mashariki ina alama mbaya zaidi; na China, Taiwan, Cambodia na Vietnam zote zinafanya vibaya sana. Nchi kutoka mikoa mingine na mabwawa ya bahari zenye alama mbaya ni pamoja na Urusi na Panama. Ulaya na Amerika ya Kaskazini zina alama bora juu ya hatua za kukabiliana na uvuvi wa IUU, lakini Oceania pia inafanya vizuri, ikionyesha kipaumbele cha juu kilichopewa uvuvi na nchi na taasisi za kikanda. Ingawa China ni chini ya viwango hivi, inapaswa kutambuliwa kwamba China inasimama wakati inakuja kwa Uvuvi, ikilinganishwa na nchi nyingine yoyote. China ina karibu watu milioni 15 wanaofanya kazi katika uvuvi (milioni 9.4 katika uvuvi, milioni 5 katika ufugaji wa samaki) na inadhibiti 12% ya soko la ulimwengu kupitia meli zake za uvuvi 220,000 zenye injini, ambazo 25,600 ni angalau meli za tani 100 au zaidi. Uvuvi haramu ni tatizo la kimataifa lakini hasa katika nchi zinazoendelea ambazo zinaongoza kwa asilimia 82.7 ya biashara ya kimataifa ya bidhaa za uvuvi. Uvuvi haramu mara nyingi huelekezwa kwa nchi za bandari ambazo hazina uwezo wa ufuatiliaji na utekelezaji kwa sababu zinaweza kufanya kazi kwa ukosefu wa adhabu. Nchi zinazoendelea, ambazo mara nyingi hazina rasilimali, utawala wa sheria, na au mapenzi ya kisiasa ya kufuatilia na kutekeleza kwa kutosha kanuni za uvuvi, hubeba mzigo mkubwa, mara nyingi wa kiuchumi, wa uvuvi haramu kwa sababu ya utegemezi wao kwa sekta ya uvuvi. Uvuvi wa IUU unaendelea kuenea katika maeneo ya pwani ya Pasifiki ya Mashariki, Kaskazini Magharibi mwa Pasifiki, Afrika Magharibi, Asia ya Kusini Mashariki na Visiwa vya Pasifiki. Mfumo wa kadi za EU umeweka nchi 25 kwenye orodha ya nchi za tatu za wasiwasi. Nchi kama vile Cambodia, Comoros na Saint Vincent na Grenadines bado zina kadi nyekundu na kwa hivyo zimepigwa marufuku kutoka kwa usambazaji wa masoko ya EU. Nchi ambazo bado zina kadi ya manjano ni Vietnam, Taiwan, Kiribati, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Trinidad na Tobago na St Kitts na Nevis. Nchi zilizotajwa hapo awali ambazo zimeondolewa kwenye orodha hivi karibuni ni pamoja na Thailand, ambayo ilionekana kuwa imeshughulikia wasiwasi wa kutosha na iliondolewa kwenye orodha mnamo Januari 2019. Wito umewekwa kwa Marekani na Japan kujiunga na mfumo kama huo na kutoa kadi kwa pamoja, ambayo itafanya mfumo huu kuwa na nguvu zaidi na ufanisi. "Kulingana na taarifa ya shirika la WHO, ""Kwa kuongezea athari za kiuchumi kwa nchi zinazohusika (tazama hapo juu), ""Bendera nyekundu"" za ziada zinaweza kujumuisha: uvuvi wa aina za samaki zenye thamani ya soko, kuchukua bendera za urahisi, uwazi, masuala ya umiliki wa meli na matumizi yasiyofaa ya teknolojia ya kufuatilia meli, ushiriki katika usafirishaji, matumizi ya bandari ambazo hazijajiandikisha kwa viwango vya kimataifa." Aina za samaki zinazolengwa kwa ajili ya uvuvi haramu mara nyingi huwa na thamani kubwa ya soko. Mifano hiyo inatia ndani tuna, samaki aina ya toothfish wa Patagonia, kamba-mti, udongo, na abalone. Samaki aina ya Patagonian toothfish, au Chilean sea bass, ni aina ya samaki aina ya tuna, ambayo kwa kawaida inagharimu zaidi ya dola 10,000 kwa tani, wakati samaki aina ya tuna na lobster zina thamani ya dola 2,320 kwa tani. Bendera za urahisi (FOC) ni mfumo wa kisheria wa baharini ambao unaruhusu meli kusajiliwa nje ya nchi ya umiliki. Nchi ya bendera (au nchi ambayo meli imesajiliwa) ina mamlaka ya kisheria juu ya meli chini ya bendera yake na inawajibika kwa kutekeleza kanuni za kitaifa. Nchi ambazo zinafanya kazi kwa kutoa FOCs hasa hufanya hivyo kukusanya mapato kutoka kwa ada, huduma, na kodi, ingawa kwa kawaida hawana uwezo na au hamu ya kutekeleza udhibiti wa kutosha juu ya meli zinazoendesha bendera yao, haswa zile zinazofanya kazi katika maji ya mbali. Shirikisho la Wafanyakazi wa Usafiri wa Kimataifa (ITF) limetangaza kuwa nchi 33 na maeneo ya kimataifa yanatoa huduma za FOC, 23 ni nchi zinazoendelea na tatu ni nchi zisizo na pwani. "Kulingana na Shirika la Haki ya Mazingira, kupitishwa kwa rekodi ya kimataifa, na taarifa za meli, kampuni na mmiliki, zilizoidhinishwa na Nambari ya Kimataifa ya Bahari (IMO) kama kitambulisho cha kipekee cha meli, ni hatua ya vitendo, inayowezekana na ya gharama nafuu ya kupambana na uvuvi haramu, usiojulikana na usio na udhibiti (IUU) kwa kuendesha uwazi na traceability katika mlolongo mzima wa usambazaji wa samaki. """ """Wakati kuna watendaji mbalimbali wanaohusika katika uvuvi wa IUU, kutoka kwa waendeshaji wa kibinafsi na biashara ndogo hadi makampuni ya kimataifa na mashirika ya uhalifu wa kupangwa, baadhi ya uvuvi haramu unaofanya uharibifu zaidi unafanywa na makampuni ya kuonekana kuwa halali, mara nyingi meli za trawler za kampuni, ambazo zinafanya uvuvi mbaya na haramu ili kuongeza faida na veneer ya uhalali hufanya kuwa vigumu kugundua shughuli ya haramu." Ufuatiliaji wa meli <unk> ufuatiliaji hauwezekani kwa wengi wa meli za uvuvi zinazokadiriwa kuwa milioni 4 ulimwenguni. Hata hivyo, meli 200,000 kubwa zaidi zinafanya mahali walipo wazi kupitia mifumo ya kitambulisho cha kiotomatiki. "Kulingana na Global Fishing Watch, ""Tunafanya mapinduzi katika uwezo wa kufuatilia meli za uvuvi za kibiashara za kimataifa, tukitoa ufuatiliaji wa karibu wa wakati halisi wa shughuli za uvuvi kupitia ramani ya umma, bila malipo, kufuatilia mashua za uvuvi na kupakua data kuhusu shughuli zao za zamani na za sasa.""" Orodha za Ufuatiliaji wa Meli: Orodha za Ufuatiliaji zinapatikana kutambua meli ambazo zimegunduliwa kufanya au kusaidia uvuvi wa IUU na zinaweza kutafutwa ili kutambua na kufuatilia meli za uvuvi za kimataifa kwa shughuli haramu. Kubadilishana samaki, wafanyakazi au vifaa kati ya mashua baharini ni jambo la kawaida, lakini pia huunda fursa ya shughuli haramu zinazohusisha dawa za kulevya na watu, kwa mfano ukiukaji wa haki za binadamu umehusishwa na kubadilishana samaki. Kwa kuruhusu meli za uvuvi kubaki baharini kwa miezi au hata miaka, nahodha wanaweza kuweka masharti kwa wafanyakazi ambao ni sawa na masharti ya kazi ya kulazimishwa na utumwa wa kisasa. Bandari za Landing <unk> Bandari na utekelezaji laini au ukaguzi mdogo wamekuwa jadi uhakika dhaifu katika mapambano ya kimataifa dhidi ya Uvuvi IUU. Mkataba wa Hatua za Jimbo la Bandari (PSMA) ulianzishwa mnamo Juni 2016 na nchi 30 na sasa hadi 50 zimejitolea kuzuia samaki waliovuliwa kinyume cha sheria kuingia bandari, na nchi zilizo chini ya PSMA zimejitolea kutekeleza udhibiti mkubwa wa bandari kwa meli za kibiashara za bendera ya kigeni. Kwa meli za uvuvi za kigeni zinazotaka kuingia bandari za PSMA, lazima kwanza kuomba ruhusa mapema, zikitoa habari za kina juu ya utambulisho wao, shughuli zao, na samaki wanaowa na ndani, na kutolewa kunaruhusiwa tu katika bandari zilizowekwa maalum zilizo na vifaa vya ukaguzi mzuri. Meli zinazoshukiwa kuhusika katika uvuvi haramu, usiojulikana na usio na udhibiti (IUU) zinaweza kukataliwa kuingia bandari moja kwa moja au kuruhusiwa kuingia kwa madhumuni ya ukaguzi tu na kukataliwa ruhusa ya kupakua samaki, kuongeza mafuta, au kurudisha vifaa. Meli zinazoruhusiwa kuingia bandari zinaweza kukaguliwa kulingana na viwango vya kawaida. "Wanaweza kupewa leseni ya uvuvi na nchi ya bendera yao na kupewa ruhusa ya uvuvi kutoka kwa nchi ambazo wanafanya kazi katika maji yao.""" Ikiwa sio, au ukaguzi ukigundua ushahidi wa shughuli za uvuvi wa IUU, meli zitakatazwa matumizi yoyote ya bandari na kuripotiwa kama wakosaji. Mara tu meli inapoachiliwa au ukaguzi unafunua matatizo, pande lazima ziwasilishe habari hiyo kwa nchi ambayo bendera ya meli imesajiliwa na kuarifu washiriki wengine wa mkataba na pia bandari katika nchi jirani. Unaweza kufanya nini ili kusaidia? Kwa taasisi za kifedha, fikiria ikiwa Uvuvi wa IUU unafaa kwako, kulingana na hatari zinazowakilisha na haswa ikiwa unahitaji kujumuisha kupambana na hii katika mpango wako wa uhalifu wa kifedha. "Vipimo vya ""Red Flag"" vinaweza kutumika kwa kusudi hili, hasa katika kuongeza ufahamu, lakini pia katika kubuni na kusasisha udhibiti." Zaidi ya hayo, mashirika ya uvuvi yanapaswa kuzingatia ikiwa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi wa Uvuvi. Kwa mfano, kwa kushiriki katika kupoteza kile kinachoitwa "vifaa vya roho" ambayo ni mchangiaji mkuu wa taka zote za baharini (inakadiriwa kuwa karibu sehemu ya kumi ya taka zote zinazopatikana baharini) au kwa kutumia uvuvi wa wavu wa baharini, uvuvi wa baharini, au uvuvi kwa kutumia milipuko au cyanide. Kwa mfano wa jinsi ya kujibu Uvuvi wa IUU, kwa kukataa shughuli za kibiashara upatikanaji wowote wa huduma za kifedha angalia hapa kutoka Standard Chartered Bank. Kila mara samaki wa mwituni anapopatikana katika duka, mkahawa, au bandari, kuna uwezekano wa 1 katika 5 kwamba samaki huyo amevuliwa kinyume cha sheria. Uvuvi haramu, usiojulikana na usio na udhibiti unaathiri takriban tani milioni 27 za samaki kila mwaka, na thamani ya samaki hiyo ni bilioni 45. Hii ni sawa na zaidi ya kilo 800 za samaki wa mwituni kuibiwa kutoka baharini kila sekunde. """Kwa kuwa samaki wanaishi chini ya shinikizo na baadhi ya spishi ziko hatarini, ni muhimu zaidi kuliko hapo awali kuchukua hatua za kukabiliana na uvuvi haramu, usiojulikana na usio na udhibiti (IUU)." "Katika ripoti ya OECD ya Desemba 2018 ""Kupambana na Uvuvi Haramu, Usiojulikana na Usio na Udhibiti: Ambapo Nchi Ziko na Ambapo Jitihada Zinaweza Kuzingatia Katika Baadaye,"" OECD ilitaja maeneo sita ya sera ya uingiliaji wa serikali kuhusiana na uvuvi haramu, usiojulikana na usiojulikana." Hizi zinahusiana na jukumu la kuongezeka kwa nchi za bendera (kuongoza meli za uvuvi za ndani katika maeneo ya nje ya mamlaka yao ya kitaifa na katika maeneo ya kigeni ya kipekee ya kiuchumi), kwa nchi za pwani (kuongoza meli katika eneo la kipekee la kiuchumi la ndani), kwa nchi za bandari (kutekeleza udhibiti wa bandari na kudhibiti mtiririko wa bidhaa kwenye soko) na kwa nchi za soko (kuunda vichocheo vya kiuchumi kwa uvuvi wa IUU na kutumia zana za soko kugundua uvuvi wa samaki. Hatua mbili za mwisho zinahusiana na utekelezaji ili kuboresha uwezo wa mipango ya ufuatiliaji, udhibiti na ufuatiliaji, mazoea ya ushirikiano wa kitaifa kati ya taasisi, na utimilifu wa mifumo ya adhabu iliyopo, na hatimaye ushirikiano wa kimataifa ili kuboresha wigo wa ushirikiano wa kimataifa dhidi ya uvuvi wa IUU. Hatua hizi ni wazi, na hivyo ni uchaguzi. """Tutapoteza malengo ya maendeleo endelevu ya Umoja wa Mataifa kwa 2020 kwa uvuvi, lakini bado tuna wakati na jukumu la kuchukua hatua kuokoa maisha katika bahari zetu." Ili kuhakikisha uhifadhi wa samaki endelevu, majibu thabiti zaidi yanahitajika sio tu kwa Uvuvi wa IUU kama suala la mazingira lakini pia kama jinai.