Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing

Topics / Spotlights

Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing refers to fishing activities which violate national or international fishing regulations:
Illegal fishing refers to fishing activities conducted in contravention to regional or international laws and regulations.
Unreported fishing refers to fishing activities which are either not reported or misreported to authorities in contravention to national laws or procedures established by regional fisheries management organizations.
Unregulated fishing refers to fishing activities where there is no applicable conservation or management measures but are also conducted in manners inconsistent with State responsibilities regarding conservation of living marine resources.

Beyond the ecological repercussions of such activities, IUU fishing is a pervasive security threat as it undermines international agreements, jeopardizes food security, and has destabilizing effects on economic security of coastal states. Furthermore, like other forms of unregulated (IUUx) activities, there is convergence of criminal activities such as illicit migration.

Explore our research

Find our latest publications, story maps, and technical resources.
  • publications

    Fishing for Security

    Daniel Schaeffer, PEW

  • dashboards

    LAC Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing Dashboard

    The LAC Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing Dashboard provides maritime domain awareness in respect to (IUU) fishing in the Latin America and Caribbean region. Through data provided by WINDWWARD, it identifies incidents of dark activity and likely transshipments along with fishing activity located in key areas such as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

  • storymaps

    Transshipment Hubs for Flags of Convenience Vessels

    Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing threatens marine ecosystems and coastal livelihoods globally. This study identifies risky ports and transshipment hotspots favored by illicit vessels, highlighting the role of Chinese-affiliated ports and recommending targeted enforcement strategies to combat maritime crime effectively.

  • Fishing for Security

  • LAC Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing Dashboard

  • Transshipment Hubs for Flags of Convenience Vessels

Below is a curated reading list of recommended tools, datas sources, and literature regarding IUU Fishing. For our broader extensive catalog of IUU fishing resources please visit repository using the button to the right.