May 9, 2012 – As part of the World Fisheries Congress – taking place at the EICC, Edinburgh, Scotland, 7-11 May – two panel sessions are set to examine the critically important topic of illegal and unsustainable pirate fishing, which threatens global fisheries and the countries and communities that depend on them.
The relentless search for a better catch has led to rampant illegal fishing across our oceans – plundering many of our valuable marine resources.
One in four fisheries around the world has collapsed in the past 50 years because of unsustainable fishing practices – resulting in depleted fish stocks globally. Financial losses are estimated to run to in the region of US$ 10 billion and US$ 23.5 billion per year – representing between 11 and 26 million tonnes of fish.
Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) is the term given to any fishing activity that contravenes national or international laws. Broadcaster, Al Jazeera has released a two-part documentary which addresses this deadly serious issue.
Filmed in Sierra Leone in West Africa, which has a highest incidence of IUU in the world, a special screening of ‘Pirate Fish’ is being aired at the conference.