Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing Transnational Enforcement Team
An operational unit of the Fighting Crimes & Injustices Diplomatic Coalition Division, developing international enforcement frameworks to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing — protecting the ocean ecosystems, food security, and fishing communities that IUU fishing systematically destroys.
Mission & Operational Scope
Protecting Ocean Ecosystems and the Communities That Depend on Them
IUU fishing accounts for an estimated 20% of global catch, depleting fish stocks that billions of people depend on for food and livelihoods. IUU fishing vessels operate under flags of convenience, falsify catch records, fish in protected areas and exclusive economic zones without authorization, and use forced labor to reduce costs. The transnational networks that operate IUU fleets are sophisticated criminal enterprises that exploit the vast, poorly monitored expanses of the high seas and the limited enforcement capacity of developing coastal states whose waters they plunder.
This team develops international enforcement frameworks for IUU fishing — building the vessel monitoring systems, port state control measures, and cross-border enforcement cooperation needed to make IUU fishing economically unviable and legally untenable.
Governing Doctrine
International Standards & Frameworks
- UNCLOSUN Convention on the Law of the Sea — EEZ fishing rights, high seas freedom and conservation obligations, and flag state responsibilities applicable to IUU enforcement
- IPOA-IUUFAO International Plan of Action to Prevent IUU Fishing — voluntary framework establishing flag state, coastal state, and port state measures for IUU prevention and enforcement
- PSMAAgreement on Port State Measures — binding international framework requiring ports to deny entry and services to vessels engaged in IUU fishing, blocking market access
- SDG 14Sustainable Development Goal 14 — ocean conservation targets including elimination of IUU fishing and harmful subsidies as binding development commitments
Operational Capabilities
Six Core Functions
01
Port State Measures Implementation
Facilitate universal implementation of the Port State Measures Agreement — advocating for ratification by non-party states, developing implementation capacity in developing nations, and strengthening enforcement of port denial obligations that block IUU catch from reaching markets.
02
Vessel Monitoring & Tracking Systems
Develop international standards for vessel monitoring and tracking systems — establishing the AIS, VMS, and electronic monitoring requirements that make IUU fishing vessels visible to enforcement authorities and create the evidentiary record needed for prosecution.
03
Flag State Responsibility Enforcement
Develop international frameworks for enforcing flag state responsibilities — holding states that provide flags of convenience for IUU fleets accountable for the fishing activities of their flagged vessels and imposing consequences for systematic failure to exercise flag state control.
04
Seafood Supply Chain Traceability
Develop international seafood supply chain traceability standards — establishing the catch documentation, chain of custody, and market access requirements that prevent IUU catch from entering legitimate seafood markets and reaching consumers.
05
Forced Labor in Fishing Enforcement
Develop international frameworks for addressing forced labor in fishing — establishing the vessel inspection standards, crew protection requirements, and port state control measures that identify and rescue fishing crew subjected to forced labor and hold vessel operators accountable.
06
Developing Coastal State Capacity Building
Facilitate capacity building for developing coastal states to monitor and enforce their exclusive economic zones — providing the patrol vessel support, satellite monitoring access, and legal framework assistance that enables small island states and developing nations to protect their fisheries from IUU fleets.