Proceedings magazine is a communication tool for the Coast Guard's Marine Safety & Security Council. Each quarterly magazine focuses on a specific theme of interest to the marine industry.
Issue link: https://uscgproceedings.epubxp.com/i/284910
24 Proceedings Spring 2014 www.uscg.mil/proceedings estimated that fsheries constituted 64 percent of the island state Kiribati's gross domestic product, which is typical for this Pacifc Coast region. 2 Therefore, illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fshing is a primary regional economic and security threat. According to INTERPOL, IUU fshing accounts for an esti- mated $2 billion in economic loss within Oceania (the area encompassing Central and South Pacifc islands). 3 This con- stitutes a threat to regional economic security, especially when estimates on reported catch show that the regional tuna fshery is being harvested at approximately 90 per- cent of maximum sustainable yield. 4 Additionally, IUU overfshing adds another 33 percent, which will not be sus- tainable for the long term and could result in a stock col- lapse, essentially depleting the tuna stocks within the Tuna Belt. This not only threatens the region's economic stability, but also represents a signifcant threat to regional food secu- rity and could destabilize the entire region — making those nations more susceptible to transnational crime. Moreover, it has been my personal experience that IUU fshing brings a host of other transnational criminal activity including con- traband smuggling, human traffcking, and other violations. The Sea is so Large and my Boat is so Small Coast Guard District 14's area of responsibility (AOR) includes the Indian Ocean, half of the Antarctic Ocean, and most of the Pacifc Ocean. While the primary area for fsh- eries enforcement interest is just the portion of the AOR surrounding Oceania, this area encompasses some 20 mil- lion square miles and includes 20 sovereign states as well as Hawaii, Guam, the Northern Marianas Islands, Wake Island, Howland and Baker Atolls, Johnston Atoll, American Samoa, Jarvis Island, and Palmyra Atoll. These noncontigu- ous U.S. exclusive economic zones (EEZs) comprise 43 per- cent of the entire U.S. EEZ. 5 If there were a "continuum of cool" for transnational crime fghting and border security, with hunting down terrorists and drug dealers at the far left of the scale, fsheries enforce- ment would be at the extreme opposite end of the spectrum. You never saw the guys from Miami Vice or Hawaii 5-0 bust- ing some bad dude for an under-sized tuna, and you'll prob- ably never see a Hollywood blockbuster about measuring the cod-end of a fshing net. Even though fsheries enforce- ment isn't the most exciting mission, it is an important one. Fisheries enforcement is a global concern, because it impacts the global commons, as fsheries and their sustainability are intrinsically linked to food security and economic stability, and thus, regional and border security. A Strategic Tuna? Approximately 60 percent of the world's tuna supply comes from the "Tuna Belt," 1 a region located within fve degrees of the equator in the Western and Central Pacifc Ocean. Therefore, activities within this region have strategic impact. In 2007, the Australia Government Overseas Aid Program Fishing Enforcement Not so sexy, but necessary. by CAPT RobeRt HendRickson Chief, Enforcement Branch U.S. Coast Guard 14 th District Plans, Partnerships, Policies Gary Stokes / iStock / Thinkstock Spring2014_26.indd 24 3/26/14 2:07 PM