Illegal fishing generates $ 23 billion in economic losses per year
Ecuadornews:
Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing not only threatens food security, the sustainability and the conservation of resources, but also the economic well-being of people who depend on fishing as their means of livelihood, says the UN food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).
There are currently no regional data on the impact of this activity, but at the global level, it is estimated that these illegal practices catch 26 million tons of fish per year, valued at about $ 23 billion, equivalent to approximately 28% of total world catch in 2014.
Therefore, in September 2015, the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) adopted the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, which enlists 17 objectives, one of which is intended for underwater life.
“This goal includes a goal for 2020: to effectively regulate fishing and put an end to overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and destructive fishing practices,” explained Javier Villanueva, an expert at the FAO regional office for Latin America and the Caribbean.