Illegal fishing is a crime. When crime crosses borders, so must law enforcement, writes Gunnar Stølsvik, Norwegian Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs, in an opinion published on CFP-reformwatch.eu.
Organised criminal networks are often involved in illegal fishing, but governments have tended to approach the issue from the perspective of natural resource management. Greater attention needs to be paid to law enforcement.
Stressing the importance of cross-border cooperation in the fight against organised illegal fishing, Gunnar Stølsvik further argues that the UN Convention against transnational organised crime (UNTOC) provides a tool that facilitates criminal investigations between states.
Apart from environmental damage, illegal fishing is estimated to cause financial losses of up to $23.5 billion annually.
Together with several other countries, Norway recently raised concern about illegal fishing at the UN, and they hope that the European Union will give these questions their highest priority.
Gunnar Stølsvik is the head of the Norwegian national advisory group against organised IUU-fishing.
Read the full article on www.CFP-reformwatch.eu
