The Intersection Between Illegal Fishing, Crimes at Sea, and Social Well-Being

Illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing is a major contributor to global overfishing, threatening food security, maritime livelihoods, and fisheries sustainability. An emerging narrative in the literature posits that IUU fishing is associated with additional organized criminal activities, such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, slavery, and arms smuggling. This literature review resolves the contradiction between the common narrative that fisheries and other crimes are linked by presenting three distinct business models for maritime criminal activities