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Illegal fishing

Increasing demand for Australian seafood overseas and at home is putting pressure on both legal and illegal markets. Illegal fishing depletes fish stocks, damages ecosystems and disrupts the livelihood of lawful fishers. Destructive large haul fishing methods increase the problem. Although illegal fishing in Australia is believed to be small-scale and opportunistic, organised crime is nevertheless active, particularly in high value stocks such as abalone and rock lobster. The AIC’s national study into crime in the Australian fishing industry, has made wide-ranging recommendations suggesting legislative changes and increasing the specialist skills of fisheries officers. Links to this and other related national and international research are available on this website.

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Reports and papers

• The changing nature of high seas fishing : how flags of convenience provide cover for illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
  Matthew Gianni and Walt Simpson. Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, 2005
• Effective export controls for illegally harvested abalone : discussion paper
  Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, 2005
• IUU fishing on the high seas : impacts on ecosystems and future science needs (PDF 1.17MB)
  Marine Resources Assessment Group. Report for the UK Department for International Development, 2005
• Review of impacts of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing on developing countries : final report (PDF 6.77MB)
  Marine Resources Assessment Group. Report for the UK Department for International Development, 2005
• Black market for white gold : the illegal trade in Chilean sea bass
  US National Environmental Trust, 2004
• Australian national plan of action to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
  Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
• Report on illegal fishing for commercial gain or profit in NSW (PDF 264kB)
  Mick Palmer, 2004
• Workshop on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities
  OECD Committee for Fisheries, 19-20 April 2004. Background information, presentations and key findings
• International environmental crime : the nature and control of environmental black markets (PDF 850kB)
  Gavin Hayman and Duncan Brack. Workshop report, Royal Institute of International Affairs, 2002
• Illegal foreign fishing (PDF 88kB)
  Australian Fisheries Management Authority fact sheet
• Monitoring and investigating reports of illegal fishing activity
  Australian Fisheries Management Authority

Links

• Fisheries law
  AdmiraltyLaw.com
• COLTO
  Coalition of Legal Toothfish Operators
• Combating illegal fishing
  European Commission
• Illegal fishing
  World Wide Fund For Nature, Global Marine Programme
• Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
  Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
• Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing
  One Fish internet portal for fisheries research
• IUU and marine pirate fishing
  Environmental Justice Foundation

Recent publications

• Environmental crime in Australia
  14 October 2010
• Crime in the Australian fishing industry
  04 June 2009
• A national study of crime in the Australian fishing industry
  01 January 2007
• Crime in the Australian fishing industry : key issues
  04 April 2005
• Marine crime
  06 July 2004
• The illegal market in Australian abalone
  09 July 2002
• The illegal market in Australian abalone
  04 April 2002

Recent events