Fisheries, Piracy, and Stability in Somalia

Life in Mogadishu is returning to some semblance of economic normalcy as shown by this catch (hammerhead, mako, swordfish, and tuna) in the fish market. Thanks mostly to the dedication of AMISOM contributors Uganda and Burundi and the TFG’s unexpected staying power (a bit of Uncle Sam's money for ACOTA didn't hurt, either), al Shabaab has been driven from the Somali capital. The al Qaeda affiliate is not on the ropes yet, but has also been squeezed in the south by the incursions of Kenya and Ethiopia. More on that topic another time.

The importance of fisheries and their protection to coastal-based economies can’t be underestimated. As an example, revenues from the UK’s fisheries enforcement supported free university educations for Falklands Islands teenagers following the 1982 war. One of Somalia's other major problems (there are many) is of course, piracy. The negative economic impacts of piracy are often mentioned in terms of global shipping disruption, higher insurance and security costs, etc., but the price to law abiding Somali people is also tangible. There are indications that the populations in regions where pirates still operate are fed up with their criminality and that people realize the negative attention piracy has brought on these areas. Another good sign is that local policing and military efforts against pirates are picking up steam ashore.

The initial rationalization of Somalia’s pirates was that foreign fishermen and other vessels' disposal of hazardous waste in Somali waters had put them out of business. The narrative persists, but the reality is that the motivation of today’s pirates is based on outright greed and criminality. However, as evidenced by the number of Asian fishing vessels captured by the pirates', it's likely that illegal fishing continues in Somalia's waters, and will continue even after Somalia piracy dissipates.

I've mentioned many times in this blog as well as other forums that securing Somalia's waters -- and not just against piracy -- is one of the keys to long term stability in Somalia. To date, these efforts have come in fits and starts. One of the latest controversies involves UN opposition to the creation of the Puntland Marine Police Force. The UN must realize that their inability to drive enforcement of the various resolutions the body has passed is partially responsible for the mess in which Somalia finds itself in now and that as long as governments are not willing to directly intervene to train and equip Somalia's navy, coast guard, and marine police forces, indirect efforts involving private security firms funded by various entities will fill the void. Regardless, were any sort of U.S. or international cohesiveness on Somalia policy suddenly to materialize, maritime security capacity building efforts focused on fisheries protection should become a top priority. A properly regulated fishing industry could replace and more equitably distribute at least some of the income derived from piracy in Somalia's economy.

And speaking of piracy, the latest issue of USCG Proceedings is dedicated to the subject.

The opinions and views expressed in this post are those of the author alone and are presented in his personal capacity. They do not necessarily represent the views of U.S. Department of Defense, the US Navy, or any other agency.