Corporate criminals and their involvement in IUU fishing: an Australian perspective

Corporate criminals and their involvement in IUU fishing: an Australian perspective

IUU fishing has become a lucrative business activity for highly organised fishing entities. Whilst the 1990s were shaped by recognition of the increasing problem of IUU fishing and the formulation of international responses, the new millennium has witnessed a shift in the character of the IUU fishery. Corporate entities have long been involved in marine fisheries. However, a criminal element, characterised by a demonstrated commitment to evading international, regional and national laws, has become apparent in recent years. Fishing grounds in the Southern Ocean have been particularly hard hit by IUU fishing. Remote and hostile seas, practical difficulties associated with conducting surveillance in such seas and the perceived low risk of detection have combined to produce an environment conducive to IUU fishing. Low penalties and high returns have further encouraged IUU fishers to the Southern Ocean. The availability of high economic returns in a low-risk environment has attracted the entry of corporate criminals into IUU fishing. This paper reviews the evidence relating to arrested IUU vessels in the Southern Ocean and concludes that their practice is increasingly corporate and increasingly criminal.

Paper is © OceanLaw & contributors.