Approaches for addressing illegal activity at sea

Every year, millions of tons of fish are caught illegally, undermining fisheries sustainability and the businesses, communities, and countries that rely on them. The high seas have long served as a safe haven for illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing due to the inherent challenges of monitoring activities on waters beyond national jurisdictions. Vessels engaged in IUU fishing can also be linked to labor abuses, including forced labor, debt bondage, and unsafe working conditions.

Our work helps identify higher-risk areas so that decision-makers can take targeted actions where problems are most likely to occur across fishing fleets and seafood supply chains. We also examine practices such as transshipment, when vessels exchange crew, supplies, and catches at sea. Our research has identified two main risk factors for labor abuse and illegal fishing: the country of a vessel's registration, also known as its “flag state,” and the type of fishing equipment or gear the vessel carries. These findings offer policymakers a set of vessel characteristics and regions to focus on when assessing risks associated with seafood sourcing. 

We also analyze how policy approaches can reduce these risks, including port-based measures that increase scrutiny of vessels and catches upon arrival at the dock. In particular, we examine how the Port State Measures Agreement can strengthen oversight, close enforcement gaps, and support countries seeking to improve compliance across fleets and ports. 

We work closely with both governments and companies to translate research findings into practical decisions. On the company side, we work through initiatives such as SeaBOS to help industry leaders understand risks across their supply chains and to inform actions they may take to strengthen due diligence. On the government side, we collaborate with fisheries authorities to identify risks, prioritize monitoring and enforcement actions, and strengthen compliance. Our current work with Chile’s fisheries agency, Sernapesca, is one example of this approach.