Page 35 - Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) 2021

SUSTAINING FISHERIES IN THE MIDST OF
OVERFISHING AND ILLEGAL, UNREPORTED AND
UNREGULATED FISHING IN THE INDO-PACIFIC
REGION 1 2

Today, overfishing and Illegal, the global fish production touched
Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) about 179 million tonnes in 2018, of
fishing are considered the biggest which 156 million tonnes (87.15%)
threats to the sustainability of marine were used for human consumption.
fisheries worldwide. Overfishing and Marine capture fisheries contributed
IUU fishing are also the most discussed to 84.4 million tonnes (47.15%) to
topics in global fisheries along with the total fish production, the balance
plastic pollution. The focus of the coming from inland capture fisheries
ongoing negotiations on the subject and aquaculture. The SOFIA also
of fisheries subsidies at the World highlighted that the fish stocks which
Trade Organization is on IUU fishing are within biologically sustainable
and overfishing. The Sustainable levels have decreased from 90 percent
Development Goal 14 (SDG-14; Life in 1974 to 65.8 percent in 2017. In the
Below Water) and its Sub-Goal 14.4 Indo-Pacific region, the SeaAroundUs
inter alia also talks about regulating Project of the University of British
harvesting and ending overfishing Columbia, which also monitors and
and IUU fishing. Sub-goal 14.6 further reports the state of marine fisheries,
exhorts the global community to reported in 2021 that in 2018, 24
regulate certain forms of subsidies percent of marine fish stocks in India
that contribute to overfishing and were collapsed while 16 percent were
IUU fishing. over-exploited. In Australia, 20.3
The 2020 edition of the State of World percent and 40.6 percent of the stocks
Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA), a were reportedly collapsed and over-
flagship publication of the Food and exploited. In the case of Indonesia
Agriculture Organization (FAO) of (Indian Ocean Exclusive Economic
the United Nations, estimates that Zone), 25 percent of the stocks were

1. Presentation prepared for the National Consultation on Indo-Pacific Ocean Initiative (IPOI) organized by the Indian
Council of World Affairs, New Delhi on 03 September 2021.
2. Director, Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation, 91, St Mary’s Road, Abhiramapuram, Chennai –
600 018, Tamil Nadu, INDIA. Email: yugraj.yadava@bobpigo.org; Website: www.bobpigo.org.

3 September 2021 | Sapru House, New Delhi 35