Skip to content

Southern Fried Science

Over 15 years of ocean science and conservation online

  • Home
  • About SFS
  • Authors
  • Support SFS

Tag: illegal fishing

Endangered turtles and fish venom: Thursday Afternoon Dredging, March 15, 2018

Posted on March 15, 2018March 13, 2018 By David Shiffman
Uncategorized

Cuttings (short and sweet):  Follow marine conservation biologist Julia Spaet on twitter! Nearly half of freshwater turtles are at risk of extinction. By John Platt, for Revelator. Fishing bots “going dark” raise suspicion of illegal fishing. By Scott Neuman, for NPR. Ocean sensors can track progress on climate goals. By Joellen Russell, for Nature News. Spoils (long … Read More “Endangered turtles and fish venom: Thursday Afternoon Dredging, March 15, 2018” »

Intertidal spiders and starfish night vision: Thursday Afternoon Dredging, February 22nd, 2018

Posted on February 22, 2018February 22, 2018 By David Shiffman
Uncategorized

Cuttings (short and sweet):  Follow Jessica Meeuwig, the Director of the UWA Centre for Marine Futures, on twitter. Check out #WowScienceFact, a science communication hashtag game that I started!  Ocean tides could have driven ancient fish to walk. By Alexandra Witze, for Nature News. Spoils (long reads and deep dives): Webs under water: the bizarre lives … Read More “Intertidal spiders and starfish night vision: Thursday Afternoon Dredging, February 22nd, 2018” »

Parasitic mussel babies and big whale brains: Thursday Afternoon Dredging, November 30th, 2017

Posted on November 30, 2017November 30, 2017 By David Shiffman
Uncategorized

Cuttings (short and sweet): 

  • Watch this incredible footage from Blue Planet 2!
  • Follow Annmarie Fearing, a graduate student researching sawfish conservation, on twitter!
  • Lobster found with Pepsi logo fuels fears over ocean litter. By Ashifa Kassam, for the Guardian.

Read More “Parasitic mussel babies and big whale brains: Thursday Afternoon Dredging, November 30th, 2017” »

Media coverage of the Yates Supreme Court case isn’t treating illegal fishing seriously

Posted on November 6, 2014 By David Shiffman 1 Comment on Media coverage of the Yates Supreme Court case isn’t treating illegal fishing seriously
Conservation, Science

This week, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments for Yates vs. the United States. Commercial fishermen John Yates was caught with dozens of illegally caught grouper, he destroyed much of the evidence of this crime, and he was charged under a law designed to prosecute people for destruction of evidence. He is now suing the government for overreach.

The question of whether a law most commonly known for being used to deal with destruction of financial records can also be used to deal with destruction of evidence of illegal fishing is an interesting one. The Obama administration claims that the law was designed to be a generic Federal destruction of evidence ban, and it has also been used, according to a USA Today article, to “go after the destruction of cars, cash, cocaine, child pornography- even murder weapons and bodies.” It seems to me that it is an appropriate role of government to write regulations to ensure that our shared natural resources are sustainably exploited, it is an appropriate role of government to enforce violations of those laws, and it is an appropriate role of government to punish people for destroying evidence of those violations. A much bigger problem, however, is with much of the media coverage of this case.

Read More “Media coverage of the Yates Supreme Court case isn’t treating illegal fishing seriously” »

Nothing to plunder – the evolution of Somalia’s pirate nation

Posted on February 11, 2011February 17, 2011 By Andrew Thaler 12 Comments on Nothing to plunder – the evolution of Somalia’s pirate nation
Uncategorized

The droughts that shook the east African nations in the mid-1970’s and again in the 1980’s decimated the traditional nomadic clans of Somalia, leaving them without live stock to feed their families. Tens of thousands of the dispossessed, primarily of the Hawiye clan, were relocated to coastal areas. Fishing communities took root and began to flourish. With over 3000 km of coastline, rich with rock lobster and large pelagic fish, these communities grew, perhaps even thrived. Then, as is often the narrative of African nations, came civil war.

Read More “Nothing to plunder – the evolution of Somalia’s pirate nation” »

Pirate fishing: far less awesome then it sounds

Posted on January 25, 2011January 25, 2011 By David Shiffman 6 Comments on Pirate fishing: far less awesome then it sounds
Conservation, Science

Earlier this month, NOAA provided a list of “pirate fishing” countries to Congress. This report identifies Portugal, Italy, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama as nations whose vessels engage in “illegal, unreported, unregulated” fishing.

Russell Smith, NOAA deputy assistant secretary for international fisheries, explains why this so-called pirate fishing is such a big deal:

“Illegal fishing must be stopped as it subjects our fishermen to unfair competition and undermines efforts to sustainably manage the valuable fish stocks around the world that so many communities depend on for food and jobs.”

The Pew Charitable trusts reports that an estimated 20% of all fish removed from the oceans are fished illegally. NOAA claims that this results in an annual loss of $23 billion to legal fisheries worldwide. Specifically, the six violator countries listed here are guilty of having:

“fishing vessels that did not comply with measures agreed to under various international fishery management organizations, such as closed fishing seasons, vessel registry lists, and a ban on the use of driftnets. Other violations included illegal gear modifications, fishing without authorization, and possession of undersized bluefin tuna.”

Read More “Pirate fishing: far less awesome then it sounds” »

Recent Popular Posts

What Ocean Ramsey does is not shark science or conservation: some brief thoughts on "the Shark Whisperer" documentaryWhat Ocean Ramsey does is not shark science or conservation: some brief thoughts on "the Shark Whisperer" documentaryJuly 2, 2025David Shiffman
Considering writing a popular science book? Here's my adviceConsidering writing a popular science book? Here's my adviceJuly 7, 2025David Shiffman
Marine Biology Career AdviceMarine Biology Career AdviceMay 30, 2025David Shiffman
AuthorsOctober 27, 2013Administrator
Shark of Darkness: Wrath of Submarine is a fake documentaryShark of Darkness: Wrath of Submarine is a fake documentaryAugust 10, 2014Michelle Jewell
Please don't ride sharks, and other great tips from the new  guide to responsible shark divingPlease don't ride sharks, and other great tips from the new guide to responsible shark divingMarch 12, 2017David Shiffman
Donald Trump and Sharks: An Annotated TimelineDonald Trump and Sharks: An Annotated TimelineJune 27, 2024David Shiffman
What can the funniest shark memes on the internetz teach us about ocean science and conservation?What can the funniest shark memes on the internetz teach us about ocean science and conservation?November 8, 2013David Shiffman
What is a Sand Shark?What is a Sand Shark?November 12, 2017Chuck Bangley
About Southern Fried ScienceOctober 27, 2013Administrator
Subscribe to our RSS Feed for updates whenever new articles are published.

We recommend Feedly for RSS management. It's like Google Reader, except it still exists.

Southern Fried Science

  • Home
  • About SFS
  • Authors
  • Support SFS


If you enjoy Southern Fried Science, consider contributing to our Patreon campaign.

Copyright © 2025 Southern Fried Science.

Theme: Oceanly Premium by ScriptsTown