Preventing IUU Fishing from a Situational Crime Prevention Perspective

RM 217

Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing is a very serious problem. It affects marine ecosystems, economic stability of developing countries, and fish stocks worldwide. Although this issue has been studied mainly from a conservation point of view, in the last few years it has begun to be addressed from a criminological perspective as well. In particular, environmental and situational crime prevention theories have been used to better understand the problem of IUU fishing, and situational crime prevention measures have been suggested as a way to reduce the opportunities to engage in this behavior. This study will review current initiatives and interventions designed to curb IUU fishing at the local, national, regional, and international levels, and will categorize them according to the 25 Situational Crime Prevention technique grid. The goal is to determine which of those techniques are being used, which ones are most effective, and whether there are other possible viable options that have not been explored by governments and fisheries management organizations.