Spyglass reveals fisheries crimes
Wild fish feed 3 billion people. Fishing provides an income and livelihood for nearly 60 million people, mostly within waters close to their homes, from small boats.
Since the 1970s, these artisanal fishers have increasingly been forced to compete with huge industrialised fleets from abroad. This has pushed many fish populations past the point of sustainability. Illegal fishing is adding further pressure, and bringing a heavy human cost.
Legitimate fishing is already a dangerous job. Illegal fishing has increased the risks and death toll. In highly vulnerable places such as Somalia, industrial vessels spend up to 93% of their time in prohibited areas. It’s estimated that more than 250 people die every year, mainly from collisions, when boats intrude on West African waters reserved for coastal communities.
The fishing sector also plays a part in transnational slave labour. An estimated 21 million people are trapped in this unregulated sector. Some spend years at sea. Others never make it back. Exact numbers are unknown but in countries such as Thailand, trafficked labour accounts for about 40% of the fishing workforce.
