University of British Columbia study reveals scale of global illegal fishing

A new study from the University of British Columbia (UBC), published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, reveals that industrial-scale illegal fishing remains a systemic feature of the global seafood economy. The research indicates that illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing accounts for between 8% and 15% of global marine captures, fueling an illicit trade valued annually between $6.2 billion and $12.2 billion.

Lead author Philippe Le Billon, a professor in the UBC Department of Geography, stated that the activity is driven by weak governance, harmful subsidies, opaque corporate structures, and complex international supply chains. Despite advancements in surveillance technology, the study notes that illegal fishing remains highly profitable because the risks are low while the rewards are high. Law enforcement and sanctions often fail to keep pace, particularly regarding large industrial fleets operating far from public oversight.