Demand for seafood from the United States is driving illegal fishing in countries around the world, including the Philippines, according to international marine conservation group Oceana. In its Fishing for Trouble: Loopholes put illegally caught seafood on Americans’ plates report, Oceana said the US imported an estimated $2.4 billion worth of seafood derived from illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in 2019. Oceana said this is a result of around 60 percent of seafood products imported by the US not being covered by its Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP), which requires catch documentation and traceability requirements for some imports.

Talavera, C. (2022, February 5). High seafood demand from US drives up illegal fishing in Phl. The Philippine Star, p. B4.