International Day for the Fight against Illegal Unreported and Unregulated Fishing 2023: Date, History, Facts

On June 5, the International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing (I.U.U.) is observed. This annual event aims to raise awareness of the dangers posed by I.U.U. fishing to the marine ecosystem. World fish stocks have deteriorated significantly over the past several decades due to both illegal and legal fishing practises. This has an effect on marine biodiversity and life. It also concerns the climate and the livelihood of coastal communities. In response, the United Nations General Assembly established a day to combat I.U.U. fishing and promote sustainable fishing practises.

The background of International Day for the Fight against Illegal Unreported and Unregulated Fishing

The battle against illegal fishing has been ongoing for almost three decades. In 1995, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) convened a conference where a code of conduct was adopted to conserve aquatic ecosystems and resources through the effective management of fisheries. The rate of fishing in unregulated areas did not cease despite these measures. Between 11 and 26 million tonnes of fish are lost annually due to I.U.U. fisheries. This has an economic value of between 10 and 23 billion dollars.

The F.A.O. conference agreed in 2009 to prevent and eliminate I.U.U. fishing in certain port states. This agreement took seven years to enforce. In addition, the United Nations General Assembly intervened to mitigate the negative effects of overfishing. In 2015, the assembly members formulated a Sustainable Development Agenda. This prompted fishermen worldwide to regulate harvesting and terminate destructive fishing practises. In the same year, there was a call for the establishment of a designated day for this cause. In 2017, the U.N. General Assembly proclaimed June 5 as the International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing, per the commission’s proposal.

This was a period in history. In addition, the Port State Measures Agreement became an international treaty on this date. The United Nations has designated 2022 as the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture, with an emphasis on small-scale fishing occupations around the globe.

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5 FACTS ABOUT ILLEGAL FISHING YOU SHOULD KNOW

Almost 32% of seafood imported into the United States is unlawfully caught.

39% of fish populations in the North-East Atlantic and adjacent waters are deemed overfished.

The average individual consumes twice as much fish as they did fifty years ago, 19.2 kg annually.

In the past 40 years, marine species have decreased by 39%.

There are 11 to 26 million tonnes of unregulated and illegal fishing in the globe.

INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE FIGHT AGAINST ILLEGAL UNREPORTED AND UNREGULATED FISHING DATES

Year	Date	Day
2023	June 5	Monday
2024	June 5	Wednesday
2025	June 5	Thursday
2026	June 5	Friday
2027	June 5	Saturday