Illegal fishing

The most important lesson to learn from a look at the three sectors is the following: prohibitions and sanctions alone do not change the reality. The fight against illegal activities will only show some success if there is close, continuous and determined cooperation and coordination of all national and international groups in the enforcement chain, police and customs, sanitary, veterinary and environmental authorities, civil society, prosecutors, the judiciary, public opinion and all stakeholders. As illegal trade in endangered species, illegal logging and illegal fishing are activities which are continuous, use networks and carefully plan their strategies and tactics, the fight against such activities also has to be continuous, permanent and organised according to concerted, coordinated strategies and actions. Actions exclusively or mainly at the level of EU Member States will not reach tangible results.

Crime will never stop altogether. However, zero tolerance, determination and the mobilisation of all the persons, authorities and bodies concerned, continued coordination and cooperation within the EU and with international organisations, bodies, NGOs and other stakeholders might make a very considerable difference in a society which is determined to be based on the rule of law and not on rules dictated by crime.