Modern-day pirates plunder ocean life

So are there still pirates out on the high seas? Yes, but not the swashbuckling kind you'll see in old Errol Flynn movies. Today's pirates aren't after gold - most are after our fast disappearing fish.

Greenpeace ships are active in exposing pirate fishers around the world to demonstrate why governments must act quickly to stop the growing pirate fishing problem. Most recently Greenpeace has documented pirate fishing in the coastal waters off West Africa.

Greenpeace has also led expeditions to campaign against pirate fisheries in international waters, in particular the pirate fisheries for Atlantic tunas off the West African coast and Patagonian toothfish in the Southern Ocean.

You can see what happened during these expeditions by clicking here:

As the oceans continue to run out of fish thanks to years of overfishing, more and more fishing companies are ordering their vessels to do whatever it takes to fill their holds. This includes ignoring already inadequate rules put in place to protect fish stocks and marine ecosystems. So with virtually 70 per cent of the world's fisheries classified as fully to overexploited, depleted or in a state of collapse, it's not hard to see why Greenpeace is so concerned about the ever-increasing numbers of fish pirates.

Greenpeace considers "pirates" as primarily those fishing vessels that fly flags of convenience (FOC). Vessels servicing FOC fishing vessels at sea (for resupply or transporting fish to market) are also pirate vessels as they ensure that FOC fishing vessels can continue to fish without restriction. This trend has been recognised by governments as a major threat to marine biodiversity. For more information see: Dodging the rules: flag of convenience fishing.		 "These modern-day buccaneers must not be allowed to plunder our seas for profit at the direct expense of seafarer's lives, and of the environment. I particularly deplore the reckless illegal fishing under flags of convenience that we have seen threatening the stocks of toothfish in the Antarctic, with consequences for birdlife, including the wandering albatross."

John Prescott, UK Deputy Prime Minister speaking at the United Nations in April 1999.


Pirates operate world-over, from Antarctic oceans to the Mediterranean Sea, from the North Atlantic to the Southern Ocean around Antarctica. They move from fishery to fishery taking as much fish as they can pull onboard. They don't care about what impacts - direct or indirect - they have on fish stocks or any other marine species caught or tangled in their fishing gear. Species of marine fish, seabirds, marine mammals, sea turtles, sharks and bottom dwelling animals are under threat from the pirate fishers. In some cases they are driving species to extinction.

They use "dummy" or "shell" companies to hide their owners' identities and go to extraordinary lengths to conceal international trade routes. Their vessels sometimes carry no markings at all to mask their identities at sea. Pirate companies often buy and fly "flags of convenience" from countries whose flags are for sale with no questions asked. They do this to dodge fishing rules set by their own countries and the international community.

Pirate on the run: The Belize-flagged pirate fishing vessel "Salvora", caught by Greenpeace fishing illegally for Patagonian toothfish in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica in 1999. The vessel was found fishing with all its markings covered but unveiled its true identity as it turned for port. The Spanish owners of the Salvora have repainted the vessel's hull blue, changed its name to "Polar", again renamed "Castor" and, once again, reflagged it to Saint Vincent & the Grenadines.











Poaching from the often fish-rich shallower waters inside national 200-mile zones is another serious pirate fishing problem. The world's major fisheries are concentrated in the waters overlying the continental shelves as these areas support larger populations of fish and because these depths are easier for fishermen to reach. As a result of overfishing, many of these fisheries are in trouble or in decline and the competition for the remaining fish is fast and furious. A classic case of too many boats chasing too few fish.

The other form of pirate fishing is blatantly unregulated or uncontrolled fishing on the high seas outside national 200-mile zones.

What governments must do to stop flag of convenience fishing:

More about Pirate Fishing:

Download the latest report "Pirate Fishing: Plundering West Africa", September 2001, available in English, French and accompanying factsheet also available in English and French.

Download the report “Pirate Fishing plundering the oceans” - February 2001, available in English, French and Spanish.

Greenpeace joined forces with the International Transport Workers' Federation in a report for the April 1999 meeting of the Commission on Sustainable Development condemning flags of convenience. The report is called "Troubled Waters: Fishing, Pollution and FOCs". You can read it here.

Dodging the rules: flag of convenience fishing
Governments recognise the pirate fishing problem...will they act to stop it?
Trouble ahead for pirate fishing talks!
Southern Ocean
CCAMLR - Governments are failing the toothfish and albatross
Atlantic - Pirate fishers plunder Atlantic tuna
Consumers - Retailers begin to move away from toothfish and how you can help

Impacts:
Southern Ocean Ecosystem
Toothfish - Rapidly approaching commercial extinction
Albatross - How pirate fishing is devastating Albatross populations