It is difficult to estimate the losses that foreign illegal vessels cause in Somalia. Annual estimates range from US$ 100 million (MRAG, 2005) to over US$450 million (Waldo, 2009). In addition to loss in revenue, illegal vessels cause overfishing, reduce fish stocks, affect local catches, harm the marine environment and destroy fishing communities by denying opportunities to catch and export fish. Illegal fishing causes loss of employment in fishing and post-harvest fish handling as loss of revenue that could be generated from landing fees, license fees, taxes and other revenues payable by legal fishing companies.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report presents the results of a study on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the territorial waters of Somalia carried out in Somalia between the months of June and November 2014. At 3,900 km, Somalia has the longest coastline in Africa. The country’s declared 200 nm EEZ, which covers 830,390 km2, is much larger than its land area. It is comparable in dimension and productivity to the US West Coast. However, only 10% of its stated maximum sustainable yield (MSY) of 300,000 MT has been exploited to date. The relative abundant potential of Somalia’s EEZ comes with a challenge. It makes patrolling and surveillance for fisheries enforcement difficult. Nevertheless, Somalia has enormous potential to develop marine fisheries. Given political stability, these resources could have a positive economic impact on the country.
The main objectives of this study were:
(1) To identify and analyze the key factors that foster illegal fishing and its impact on Somalia’s marine ecosystems and livelihoods
(2) To carry out extensive fact finding missions and interviews in coastal areas of Somalia with fishing communities, fishing industry representatives and relevant stakeholders such as local authorities
(3) To gather evidence on illegal fishing, its impact on local communities and marine resources
(4) To identify specific form(s) of support to enable the government(s) in Somalia to curb illegal fishing.

Overview of IUU fishing in Somalia
It is difficult to estimate the losses that foreign illegal vessels cause in Somalia. Annual estimates range from US$ 100 million (MRAG, 2005) to over US$450 million (Waldo, 2009). In addition to loss in revenue, illegal vessels cause overfishing, reduce fish stocks, affect local catches, harm the marine environment and destroy fishing communities by denying opportunities to catch and export fish. Illegal fishing causes loss of employment in fishing and post-harvest fish handling as loss of revenue that could be generated from landing fees, license fees, taxes and other revenues payable by legal fishing companies.
The indirect harm of IUU fishing to Somalia includes lost income and employment in other sectors in the supply chain upstream (i.e., fishing gear, boats and equipment, etc.) and downstream (i.e., fish processing and packaging, marketing and transport, etc.) from the fishing operation itself (MRAG, 2005). Additionally, illegal fishing vessels use reckless fishing operations. They leave behind them irreversible impacts on target species, the marine ecosystem and vulnerable species such as coral reefs, dugongs and turtles. Furthermore, IUU fishing directly affects fishermen's livelihoods. It destroys their fishing nets and threatens them at sea by mistaking them for pirates thus depriving them of fully exercising their livelihoods.

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