Article by Kotie Geldenhuys
Photo courtesy of Pexels
Beneath the surface of our oceans lies a silent crisis, hidden in plain sight. While the waves shimmer with life above, a shadowy enterprise operates below, exploiting the oceans’ riches with ruthless efficiency. Illegal fishing, driven by greed and global demand, is not only depleting marine ecosystems but also fuelling a network of corruption and organised crime that spans continents. This is the story of a hidden war: one fought between those who plunder the oceans and those determined to protect them for future generations.
Globally, the fisheries sector is a major contributor to food security, poverty reduction and prosperity. In 2020, global fisheries production reached 90.3 million tonnes, valued at $141 billion. It remains a key source of employment and sustenance, particularly in developing coastal nations. It supports livelihoods in coastal communities but is highly complex, involving multiple activities and stakeholders across different legal jurisdictions. This complexity makes it vulnerable to transnational crime, including illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which threatens fish stocks and the livelihoods of those relying on legal fishing (UNODC, 2022). Prof Hennie van As, Professor of Public Law and Director of the Centre for Law in Action (CLA) at the Nelson Mandela Bay University explained it as follows: “Fisheries crime is so huge that it is in effect a lucrative, violent parallel economic system that is undermining sustainable economic growth…”
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[This is only an extract of an article that is published in Servamus: March 2025. This article is available for purchase.]