From Illegal Fishing to Transnational Crime: Maritime Security Challenges in a Global Context

• In Event: Criminology of the Seas

Abstract

Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing is increasingly recognized not just as an environmental and economic threat, but also as a facilitator of transnational organized crime. Drawing on global datasets from the Maritime Security Index and the Global Organized Crime Risk Index, this study investigates the extent to which weak maritime security measures create enabling conditions for a range of criminal activities, including human trafficking, arms smuggling, and other illicit trades. The study’s focus on coastal countries as units of analysis. By focusing on maritime security measures like port infrastructure, patrol capacities, international agreements, and domestic fisheries legislation, the study discusses the factors that most strongly correlate with criminal convergence in maritime environments. Ultimately, the findings aim to inform policymakers and enforcement agencies by highlighting priority areas for intervention to curb IUU fishing and disrupt the broader networks underpinning transnational crime. Beyond addressing immediate security concerns, the research underscores the importance of bolstering maritime governance and international collaboration to safeguard both marine ecosystems and the economic welfare of coastal communities, thereby contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of maritime security challenges in an era of growing interconnectedness.

Author

• Ulhas Gondhali, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York