Greenpeace: Pirate Fishing Impacts

Testimonies
The traditional fisheries of Ghana

The effects of pirate fishing on local fishermen on Ascension Island.

Turtle Webcast
Find out more about the endangered Green Turtles on Ascension Island.

Pirate Fishing Impacts

Pirate fishing is not the only problem in fishing today. But it is a problem that makes other problems very difficult to solve. If a fishing company can evade all rules and measures to sustain fish stocks by just re-flagging the vessels in its fleet, then what is the use of having these rules and measures?

Because of its illicit nature, little is known about what impact pirate fishing is having on fish stocks, other marine life or on the catches of fishermen who do try to fish by the rules. What we know is that a lot of the fish stocks that are targeted by the pirates are already over-exploited to the point where more catches can lead to a complete collapse of the fisheries.

Some species of sharks, sea birds and sea turtles are threatened with extinction mainly because large numbers of them are caught in fishing gear. Uncontrolled pirate fishing makes it virtually impossible to solve this problem.

We also know that that there are some fishing communities around the world that employ sustainable practices, or that have cut down on their fishing effort in order to conserve the fish; they are the ones that suffer from the consequences of pirate fishing.

Someone else is stealing the fish!