Security challenges in the Gulf of Guinea: the case of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing

Abstract

Fishery resources account for almost one sixth of the total volume of animal protein consumed by people and provide livelihoods for some 820 million people worldwide. However, global fisheries are at risk due to increasing global demand for fish, declining ocean health and continued illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. According to the United Nations, more than 90 per cent of fish stocks remain fully exploited, overexploited or even depleted. The reasons are a combination of legal exploitation and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing – which accounts for about 20 per cent of global fish catches. More than 40 per cent of the cases between 2010 and 2022 were recorded in West African maritime areas, notably in the Gulf of Guinea. This article analyses illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in the Gulf of Guinea. The findings highlight that this illegal activity is currently the greatest threat to the human security of coastal communities and to the maritime security of the whole region. Furthermore, without good order at sea, it will not be possible to take concrete measures to address the problem.