March 23, 2015 — The rules are a good first step, but illegal fishing is a global problem that requires a multinational approach to solve it. The government needs to work with other major fish importers worldwide to ensure that fishermen with contraband cargo can’t unload their wares.
According to the Pew Charitable Trusts, illegal fishing is a $23 billion-plus industry, accounting for approximately one-fifth of the seafood caught worldwide. The practice not only undercuts legitimate fishermen, it makes it more difficult for scientists to accurately calculate the size of fish stocks — a vital tool in protecting threatened species like bluefin tuna. It also hurts consumers, since contraband fish are prone to mislabeling, and as a 2011 Globe special report uncovered, fish mislabeling runs rampant in the industry.
The Obama administration plans to address the issue in a number of ways. US officials will implement a new system to track seafood coming into its ports. By the end of 2016, all seafood meant for the American market will have to be paired with information about the fisherman who caught it, along with when, where, and how the fish were caught. This is a smart move. Fishing ships by definition are mobile, and it is very difficult to stop unscrupulous actors on open waters. But every ship needs a port, and requiring greater transparency when a boat docks will make it more difficult for smugglers to do business in the United States, while giving a leg up to fishermen who play by the rules.
Read the full editorial at the Boston Globe