Why ASEAN nations need to jointly fund their fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
The use of illegal fishing tools and bombs for unlicensed fishery activities haunt local fishermen, who have to deal with its economic, social and environmental repercussions.
- The use of illegal fishing tools and bombs for unlicensed fishery activities haunt local fishermen, who have to deal with its economic, social and environmental repercussions.
- However, despite agreements and discussions in the past, the fight against IUU fishing remains largely ineffective due to various challenges.
Staggering economic and other costs
- The total economic loss is estimated to reach a staggering US$6 billion in 2019.
- Meanwhile, the economic exclusive zones (EEZ) – a territorial sea where local fishermen can sail and catch fish – of each member country also vary significantly.
- Beyond the economic implications, IUU fishing causes severe social impacts from illegal recruitment and employment of Southeast Asian workers, leading to various types of abuses.
- Without knowing precisely the impacts of IUU fishing, both in economic costs and non-economic repercussions, it is hard to reach practical solutions because there is no shared indicator used to measure the total cost.
Competing national interests
- Each member country has its own national interests, making it challenging to focus on regional interest ahead of the national ones.
- However, regional agreements can lack teeth, especially when they collide with the national interests of each member country.
- As a result, each ASEAN member only carries out and prioritises its national interest.
How ASEAN nations could pay for an IUU fighting fund
- The presence of a joint regional fund can potentially bridge overlapping national interests among ASEAN countries.
- A suitable model for joint funds can be inspired by the COVID-19 ASEAN Response fund, which provides financial resources to create regional actionable programs among ASEAN members.
- For instance, ASEAN can design the joint fund annually like a state budget to accommodate necessary programs.