Flying under different flags is one of myriad practices that many distant-water fishing vessels use to obscure their true identity and to support their illegal activities at sea. Distant-water fishing vessels have also been known to do other tricks, such as painting over the boat’s name without reporting, or naming fake shareholders, to confuse law enforcement and avoid punishment.
They catch economically valuable fish in unsustainable amounts and highly endangered marine species in other countries’ territorial waters or the unregulated high seas. In many cases, other crimes such as modern slavery also occur aboard these vessels.
But observers say the current enforcement and regulatory approaches to fisheries crimes have largely targeted the at-sea activity. While that’s important, a growing number of groups say bringing justice to the true funders and beneficiaries of these shady vessels may prove more efficient in rooting out illegal fishing.
Read more:
https://www.eco-business.com/news/for-sustainable-global-fisheries-watchdogs-zone-in-on-onshore-beneficial-owners/