What is meant by illegal fishing?

• The depletion of fish stocks which means that future generations may not have sufficient seafood as a food source.
• The loss of biodiversity in the ocean.
• Problems with scientific studies that are needed to understand how many fish are available, which species are being fished and what is their status.

The best seafood exporters in South Asia say that it is important that countries take precautions to prevent it from happening. Here are 3 things they should do:

• Pass laws against illegal fishing - Countries should pass laws that prohibit illegal fishing and punish those who do it. Each country has different ways of punishing people for breaking these rules, but they all need to take action against them.
• Make sure there are enough inspectors on the water and in ports - If there are not enough inspectors, illegal fishing can happen more often. Countries should make sure there are marine patrols that go to ports and check the boats for any fish or other sea life they have caught illegally.
• Create sustainable fisheries - By creating sustainable fisheries, countries can increase the health of their oceans. If a country's fisheries are not sustainable, they may have too many fish being caught before it is able to be replenished which leads to less healthy oceans.

By having laws against illegal fishing and making sure those laws are enforced by marine patrols, this helps stop problems caused by it, but also creates sustainability within the industry helping keep healthier oceans with more bountiful sea life population levels. Many responsible seafood and tuna fish exporters in Sri Lanka and other countries are trying their best to create a more sustainable industry, but it is a very difficult task without stricter controls and regulations.