Estimating the Worldwide Extent of Illegal Fishing
Author Information
Author(s): David J. Agnew, John Pearce, Ganapathiraju Pramod, Tom Peatman, Reg Watson, John R. Beddington, Tony J. Pitcher
Primary Institution: Imperial College London
Hypothesis
What is the global extent and economic impact of illegal and unreported fishing?
Conclusion
The study estimates that illegal and unreported fishing results in annual losses between $10 billion and $23.5 billion worldwide.
Supporting Evidence
- Illegal fishing contributes to overexploitation of fish stocks.
- The total estimated value of illegal fishing losses is between $10 billion and $23.5 billion annually.
- Developing countries are most at risk from illegal fishing.
- There is a significant correlation between governance and the level of illegal fishing.
- Illegal fishing hampers the sustainable management of marine ecosystems.
Takeaway
Illegal fishing is a big problem that takes a lot of fish from the ocean, which can hurt fish populations and the environment.
Methodology
The study analyzed data from 54 countries and high seas regions to estimate illegal fishing levels using various estimation methods.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to reliance on reported data and varying quality of governance across regions.
Limitations
The estimates are based on available data, which may not capture all illegal fishing activities.
Participant Demographics
The study covers a range of countries with varying levels of governance and fishing practices.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% confidence intervals were estimated from simulated datasets.
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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