Plundered Oceans: IUU Fishing in Central American and Caribbean Waters

COSTA RICA / 27 JUL 2022

This series – the first installment of an investigation shining light into the murky waters of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing – focuses on law enforcement challenges and IUU fishing practices in Jamaica, Costa Rica, Panama, Guyana, and Suriname.

Conducted with American University’s Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS), the two-part investigation paints a picture of IUU fishing in nine countries, examining everything from its perpetrators to its devastating effects on marine life and people, and showing how IUU fishing is coupled with other crimes. Ecuador, Chile, Uruguay, and Argentina.

SEE ALSO: Plundered Oceans: IUU Fishing in South American Seas

Chapter 1

Overharvesting and Poaching Devastate Jamaica's Fisheries

ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME / 27 JUL 2022

Jamaican fishers, largely ungoverned, are taking what they can from the country’s waters, while foreign vessels poach lobster and conch.

Chapter 2

High Hopes for Radar Crash Against Reality of Illegal Fishing in Costa Rica

COSTA RICA / 27 JUL 2022

The installation of a radar tower on Costa Rica’s Cocos Island heralded a new era for curbing illegal fishing in one of the world’s most biodiverse ocean regions.

Chapter 3

Panama Lending Flag to Most Destructive Fishing Ships

ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME / 27 JUL 2022

When the Chinese fishing fleet was discovered near Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands, its vessels were not all flagged to China. Some flew Panama’s flag.

Chapter 4

Guyana Struggling to Tame Lawless Waters

ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME / 27 JUL 2022

Guyana claims some 42,800 square nautical miles of ocean. Enforcement capabilities extend to just a fraction of the country's waters.

Chapter 5

Smugglers and Illegal Fishers Find a Haven in Suriname

ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME / 27 JUL 2022

A black market for fishing licenses is flourishing in Suriname. Fishers from Guyana rent them from boat owners for a few thousand dollars.

Download Full Report

Click here to download

In Addition to the Reports

See a dedicated page launched by CLALS analyzing the adverse impacts of IUU fishing across the region.

Conference

Click here for more details. Join us Friday, September 9, for an online and in-person panel discussion on the threats posed by IUU fishing in the region.

Guyana Struggles to Face Crime Challenge

GUYANA / 9 MAR 2012

Often overlooked in regional security assessments, South Americas only English-speaking country is rapidly becoming a hotspot for organized crime.

Arrest Uncovers Costa Rica Drug Boss' Sinaloa Cartel Links

COSTA RICA / 16 AUG 2019

Authorities have taken down the boss of the Moreco gang -- a uniquely powerful Costa Rica-based drug trafficking group with…

Organized Real Estate Fraud Rings Threaten Property Owners in Costa Rica

COSTA RICA / 6 APR 2021

With owners of expensive lots kept away from Costa Rica because of COVID-19 restrictions, organized property fraud rings have enlisted…

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