FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
06/05/2019
Contact:
Caiti Goodman, [email protected], 202.478.3437
Stimson Center Environmental Security Program Director participates in Capital Hill Ocean Week
Yesterday, Sally Yozell, Senior Fellow and Director of the Environmental Security program at the Stimson Center, participated in a plenary panel session on illegal, unreported, unregulated (IUU) fishing at the annual Capitol Hill Ocean Week. The panel featured representatives from the technology sector and non-governmental community and focused on the threats posed by IUU fishing and the steps that can be taken to address those challenges. Read full remarks.
Yozell discussed how IUU fishing affects the marine environment, but also threatens the economic and food security of communities and the national security of fishing nations, highlighting that IUU fishing robs resources from developing countries who are most in need and who have the least capacity to fight back. Yozell posited that greater transparency throughout the fishing industry, including across the seafood supply chain, financial interests, and the vessels on the water, are needed to combat IUU fishing efforts, and increase economic and national security, ending with the following remarks:
“There does seem to be a growing trend globally to more transparency – with countries beginning to step forward to pledge making their Vessel Monitoring System publicly available, a necessary step for more transparency in the fishing industry. So far, Indonesia, Peru, Namibia, Costa Rica, Chile, and Panama are sharing or have promised to share this data publicly. We need a global campaign to build on the efforts of these nations.”
“Supporting transparency and traceability is just the first step. Paired with capacity building to implement laws, such as the Port States Measures agreement, and for law enforcement and prosecutors globally, we can more effectively deter IUU fishing activities and their impacts on economic, food, and national security.”
The Stimson Center’s Environmental Security program explores the array of environmental threats, both human and natural, that have the potential to undermine national, regional, or global security.
Sally Yozell is a Senior Fellow and Director of the Environmental Security program at the Stimson Center. Yozell’s research examines the links between environmental crime and global security issues — with a focus on combatting Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing and wildlife trafficking; identifying innovative technologies to fight IUU fishing in Marine Protected Areas; and tracking transnational organized crime as well as natural resources theft.
Prior to joining Stimson, Yozell was a Senior Advisor to Secretary of State, John Kerry and the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and Environment.
Read Full Bio.
The Stimson Center is a nonpartisan policy research center working to solve the world’s greatest threats to security and prosperity.
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