Fisheries, ecosystem justice and piracy: A case study of Somalia

It has been argued that a possible root cause of Somali piracy is the (illegal) overfishing that has been taking place in the country's waters, which has deprived local fishers of their livelihoods, and which may be considered as another form of ‘piracy’. In this paper, we explore the origins of this argument using both historical and ecosystem justice frameworks, and argue that the origin of piracy in Somalia is a result of a combination of state failure, IUU fishing, toxic waste dumping and its impact on the ecosystem. We then present some potential resolutions to the problem of piracy, which requires a multifaceted approach, including (i) the establishment of a viable Somali state where the rule of law is the order of the day; and (ii) action taken to prevent illegal fishing and toxic waste dumping to provide support for the local fishing industry.