The impact of Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing on Biodiversity and Societies in West Africa

Abstract

West African waters are rich in marine biodiversity, providing livelihoods for the fastest growing population on the planet. The sea supports various fish species, but illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing is a persistent threat to West African societies and biodiversity. In the last years numerous vessels were detected practicing illegal fishing methods with various facets in the Gulf of Guinea and other West African coastal states. This thesis describes the maritime environment as well as giving a historical comparison of the aspect of overfishing and its outcomes. However, the focus lies on the impact of IUU and the situation in West Africa such as the unfair competition between artisanal fishermen and industrial vessels, food security. Also, ecological outcomes, like diminishing fish populations or bycatch are in the focus. Furthermore, the thesis brings countermeasures on various levels on the table and tries to propose recommendations on how solutions can look. A concerned United Nation Security Council (UNSC) is more and more alert and has recently ratified another resolution concerning the situation in West Africa. Piracy and other unlawful activities are on the rise and interlockings between those activities and IUU fishing can be found in a spiral of violence. That’s why countermeasures on various levels are important to prevent an escalation of instability in the region.