Part I opens with a general explanation of horizontal public government
networks and how these networks have failed to achieve meaningful reductions
in IUU fishing because they are unable to easily adapt to the flexibility of
criminal networks. Part II evaluates the growing linkages between IUU fishing
and transnational criminal networks. Part III explores national efforts to combat
IUU fishing. In this Part, it becomes apparent that traditionally there has been
very little domestic criminal prosecution associated with IUU fishing activities.
Instead, the general fishing laws for five of the largest fishing nations contain
mostly low-deterrence sanctions directed at a limited group of actors—with the
notable exception of the United States’ Lacey Act. Part IV includes a number
of proposals to strengthen horizontal government networks’ power to prosecute
and deter transnational IUU fishing operations, including harmonizing criminal
laws and extending extraterritorial jurisdictions to include IUU fishing
operations. Finally, Part V describes a number of promising transnational
governance efforts, including early steps taken by Interpol to encourage
member states to create National Environmental Security Task Forces (NESTs)
to improve communication between horizontal government networks. The
Article concludes that while properly resourced NESTs may provide the
missing institutional link needed to ensure that domestic criminal laws will be
routinely enforced, governments will still need to invest in creating networks
for NESTs to operate effectively across national boundaries