Abstract
Fisheries Law is taking its foundation within the Law of the sea. The 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea addresses fisheries issues through the maritime spaces it establishes. The fight against "illegal, unreported and unregulated" IUU fishing has crept into the Fisheries Law in transformation, which we are considering here, and in particular the latter's ability to eradicate these IUU activities. IUU fishing refers to different forms of fishing activities or methods, or fishing conditions, that need to be clarified. The causes of IUU fishing and the treatment to be applied to it are of full interest to public Law, particularly when it is looking for loopholes. The content and scope of the principles of international Law to combat IUU fishing have not been fully effective since this type of fishing persists. The main responsibility for combating IUU fishing lies with States, which are responsible at a minimum for avoiding IUU fishing in their territorial sea and areas under their jurisdiction (coastal State) and on the high seas by vessels flying their flag (flag State). The involvement of regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs) or other States or the focus on certain State roles such as the "port State" and the "market State", which facilitate or counter trade in fishery products from IUU activities. This has nevertheless led to the emergence of more restrictive international or national legal measures. In this movement, the European common fisheries policy and its law, both internally and externally, have played a decisive role.