DIRECTOR’S FOREWORD

Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fisheries, which only a few years ago were considered to be mainly a problem for a limited number of regions or fisheries (e.g. Patagonian toothfish), have now been recognized as a substantial global issue of concern. The importance and negative impacts of IUU fisheries catches have gained increasing attention in the world’s media, and also by fisheries scientists and managers. To account for IUU, catch reconstructions, such as those being conducted under the guidance of Dr. Dirk Zeller of the Sea Around Us Project, and documented in a previous Fisheries Centre Research Report (Vol. 15 (2), 2007) and in numerous peer-reviewed publications, show that fisheries statistics supplied by national, regional and international scientific and management agencies generally underestimate actual catches often by substantial margins. While historically perceived to be largely a developing country problem, the increasing prevalence of vessel apprehension illustrates that IUU catches are also prominent in some of the most developed countries of the world. The countries surrounding the Baltic Sea are predominantly members of the European Union, and have a long history of marine resource use in the Baltic Sea. Yet, as the study presented in this report illustrates, even these highly developed countries with their substantial resources and well established scientific, administrative and management institutions, have so far failed to address the data issues stemming from IUU in a transparent and comprehensive manner. The effort reported in this report, conducted through funding from the Baltic Sea 2020 Foundation (www.balticsea2020.org/), should contribute to more transparent and complete accounting of total catches for Baltic Sea fisheries, and may even serve as a blueprint for all other North-east Atlantic areas.

  In general, obtaining a complete accounting of total catches (or removals) from the global ocean is fundamental to our ability to manage marine fishery resources sustainably for the benefits of both current and future generations. The work reported herein continues an effort by the Sea Around Us Project, through its catch reconstruction work, to provide such accounting.  

Ussif Rashid Sumaila, Director

UBC Fisheries Centre

February 2010