‘Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing: understanding and addressing impacts on coastal communities and economies’
Thursday 25th September, 2014
10:00-17:30 hrs – London, UK
This one-day seminar is designed to foster discussion about the main economic and social impacts of IUU fishing on coastal communities and economies, specifically in vulnerable African regions, alongside examining how the challenges posed by IUU fishing can be more effectively addressed.
With the challenge of IUU fishing being increasingly recognised by political leaders internationally, as the below comments from President Obama and European Commissioner Damanaki illustrate, now is an opportune time to reflect.
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“(…) illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing continues to undermine the economic and environmental sustainability of fisheries and fish stocks (…). Global losses attributable to the black market from IUU fishing are estimated to be $10-23 billion annually, weakening profitability for legally caught seafood, fueling illegal trafficking operations, and undermining economic opportunity for legitimate fishermen (…).”
Barack Obama, President of the United States |
“Illegal fishing is indeed a crime. It harms us in many ways: it undermines our conservation efforts; it disturbs markets with unfair competition; it chokes the circle of compliance that we so keenly try to establish; it damages law-abiding fishermen, who ill thus resent and lose faith in the system. And of course it destroys fish stocks.” Maria Damanaki, European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries |
The seminar brings together academics and practitioners with public, private and third sector backgrounds in an effort to share knowledge and enhance research networks in relation to this important issue. The seminar has been organised by the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations within Coventry University and non-profit organisation, House of Ocean.