Indian Ocean: WWF: Illegal fishing causes high losses

Indian Ocean
WWF: Illegal fishing causes high losses

The environmental protection organization WWF alarmed because of illegal fishing. photo

© Jens Kalaene/ZB/dpa

Illegal fishing not only endangers the ocean, but also the future of the industry. A report shows the extent of the illegal catch has already assumed.

In the south-west Indian Ocean, around US$143 million (€130 million) could be lost each year to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing of certain species.

The African countries of Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa and Tanzania in particular have suffered massive economic losses from such catches of shrimp and tuna, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) reported today.

Between 2016 and 2021, almost half of all tuna caught off the coasts of the five countries was potentially illegal or unregulated, the WWF said. When catching shrimp it is a quarter. According to the WWF, the Indian Ocean is the second largest tuna fishing area in the world after the western Pacific.

Since the member states of the European Union are among the most important trading partners in the region for tuna and shrimp products, they are obliged to insist on sustainable fishing practices, better monitoring of regulations and transparent supply chains for European markets, the authors of the report demand. Overfishing not only puts pressure on fish and seafood populations; illegal fishing also endangers the future of the industry and the ocean’s food chains.

dpa

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