Inside the US’s mission to fight illegal fishing in the Gulf of America – Washington Examiner

Report on Integrated Efforts to Combat Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing in the Gulf of Mexico

Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing represents a significant threat to marine ecosystems, economic stability, and food security in the Gulf of Mexico. These illicit activities directly undermine several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 14 (Life Below Water), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions). This report details the integrated enforcement strategy employed by United States agencies to counter these threats.

The Threat of IUU Fishing and its Impact on Sustainable Development

IUU fishing in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Gulf, primarily conducted by Mexican fishermen using small vessels known as “lanchas,” has multifaceted negative consequences:

• SDG 14 (Life Below Water): Overfishing, particularly of species like red snapper, depletes fish stocks, disrupts marine biodiversity, and damages ocean health. This practice is a primary driver of global overfishing and threatens the sustainability of critical fisheries.
• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): The practice siphons millions of dollars from the legitimate U.S. commercial and recreational fishing industry, jeopardizing livelihoods and sustainable economic growth. Furthermore, reported links between illegal fishing profits and cartels contribute to illicit financial flows that destabilize regional economies.
• SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): The decline of fisheries, which are critical to the food systems of numerous nations, threatens long-term food security.

A Multi-Domain Strategy for Enforcement and Sustainability

The U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations have implemented a coordinated strategy utilizing maritime, land-based, and aerial assets to protect the marine environment and uphold the rule of law, in line with SDG 16.

Maritime Operations: Direct Interdiction and Enforcement

The U.S. Coast Guard Station at South Padre Island serves as a frontline defense against IUU fishing. Its operations are crucial for the direct enforcement of maritime law.

1. Asset Deployment: A variety of vessels, including the 36-foot Special Purpose Craft – Law Enforcement II, are utilized for patrol and interdiction missions, often conducted at night when illegal activity is most frequent.
2. Interdiction Tactics: Upon identifying an illegal vessel, often a small, low-profile lancha, Coast Guard units conduct physical interdictions. The “hot pursuit” doctrine allows for the pursuit of fleeing vessels into Mexico’s EEZ, ensuring that law enforcement is not deterred by jurisdictional boundaries.
3. Disruption of Illicit Activities: Seized lanchas are impounded, disrupting the operational capacity of illegal fishing networks. This direct action serves to protect marine resources (SDG 14) and deter economic crimes (SDG 8).

Land-Based Surveillance: Enhancing Institutional Capacity

Land-based assets provide persistent monitoring capabilities, which are essential for a comprehensive maritime domain awareness picture, strengthening institutional effectiveness as targeted by SDG 16.

• Advanced Technology: At a CBP post near South Padre Island, the tethered Argos aerostat provides a continuous, high-altitude surveillance platform. Equipped with cameras and radar, it offers extended visibility into the Gulf, overcoming the limitations of shoreline and intermittent aerial patrols.
• Integrated Command Center: Data from the Argos and other sensors are relayed to a command center, creating a layered and integrated operational picture. This technological integration has significantly improved the ability to detect and track illicit maritime activity.

Aerial Surveillance: A Force Multiplier for Maritime Security

The U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi provides critical aerial surveillance, acting as a key component of the integrated strategy.

• Patrol and Detection: Crews aboard HC-144B fixed-wing aircraft conduct overflights of the Gulf, utilizing advanced Minotaur mission systems to process sensor data and detect suspicious vessels.
• Coordination and Support: When an illegal fishing vessel is positively identified from the air, the aerial crew directs surface-level Coast Guard assets to the target’s location for interdiction. This air-to-sea coordination exemplifies an effective, multi-asset approach to law enforcement.

Strengthening Justice and Deterrence to Uphold the Rule of Law

A recent shift in legal strategy has significantly enhanced the deterrent effect of enforcement actions, directly supporting SDG 16’s goal of promoting the rule of law and building effective, accountable institutions.

• Legal Accountability: In a landmark change, apprehended fishermen are now being prosecuted under U.S. law, such as the Lacey Act, which prohibits trafficking in illegally acquired wildlife. This has resulted in convictions and jail time, a stark contrast to the previous practice of repatriation.
• Measurable Impact: Following the June conviction and sentencing of four fishermen, one of whom was a repeat offender arrested 28 times prior, the number of interdictions has markedly decreased. This demonstrates that strengthening legal frameworks and ensuring accountability serves as a powerful deterrent to activities that undermine environmental sustainability and economic security.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 14: Life Below Water – The article’s central theme is combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which directly threatens marine ecosystems, fish stocks, and ocean health.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – The article highlights the negative economic impact of illegal fishing on the legitimate U.S. commercial and recreational fishing industry, which is described as a “multimillion-dollar business annually.”
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions – The article focuses on the enforcement actions by national institutions like the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection. It also discusses legal frameworks (the Lacey Act), prosecutions, and the connection between illegal fishing and organized crime (cartels).

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 14: Life Below Water

  • Target 14.4: “By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices…” The entire article is about the U.S. government’s efforts to stop “Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing,” which it calls “among the greatest threats to ocean health and are significant causes of global overfishing.”
  • Target 14.2: “By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems…” The article states that IUU fishing contributes to the “collapse or decline of fisheries that are critical to the… ecosystems of numerous countries.” The enforcement actions are designed to protect the marine ecosystem in the U.S. part of the Gulf.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  • Target 8.1: “Sustain per capita economic growth in accordance with national circumstances…” The article explains that illegal fishing is “siphoning a portion of the U.S. industry” and “robs US economy of millions of dollars.” By combating this, the U.S. is protecting its national economic interests and the livelihoods supported by the legal fishing industry.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  • Target 16.4: “By 2030, significantly reduce illicit financial… flows… and combat all forms of organized crime.” The article explicitly connects illegal fishing to organized crime, stating that “Mexican fishermen have ties to cartels, which get a cut of their profits.” The enforcement actions aim to disrupt this illicit activity.
  • Target 16.a: “Strengthen relevant national institutions… to combat… crime.” The article details the “integrated effort involving air, land, and sea assets” by the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection. It describes new technologies like the “Argos aerostat” and changes in legal strategy, such as using the Lacey Act for prosecutions, which represent a strengthening of these institutions to combat this specific crime.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• For Target 14.4 (End IUU Fishing):

  • Number of interdictions: The article provides specific data, stating, “The Coast Guard at South Padre Island carried out 46 interdictions since the start of the 2024 calendar year, and only four of them have occurred since June 1.” A decrease in this number is interpreted as a sign of successful deterrence.
  • Number of seized vessels: The article mentions a “graveyard of seized vessels” containing “an estimated 60… ‘lanchas'” seized since the start of the fiscal year. This number serves as a direct measure of enforcement success.

• For Target 16.a (Strengthen Institutions):

  • Number of prosecutions and convictions: The article implies this is a key indicator of strengthened enforcement. It highlights a recent case where “four Mexican fishermen pled guilty to illegally fishing” and a captain with 28 prior arrests was “sentenced to serve 8 months in jail.” This shift from release to prosecution under the Lacey Act is presented as a measure of improved institutional effectiveness.
  • Deterrent effect of legal action: The article implies that a reduction in attempted illegal fishing is an indicator of success. It notes that “the number of interdictions they’ve conducted has been lower since four Mexican fishermen pled guilty,” suggesting the stronger legal penalties are deterring the criminal activity.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: washingtonexaminer.com