ABSTRACT
Extreme human behaviours in the ocean are one form of marine extreme, involving illegal activities that can be damaging to the marine environment and its resources as well as to people and industry. This chapter explores three critical examples: first, illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing which negatively impacts on legitimate fishers and fish stocks; second, human trafficking, which facilitates IUU fishing and other maritime crimes; and third, the issue of maritime piracy which has significant financial, security and human costs. These crimes all involve extreme human behaviours and are often linked to broader transnational organised crime and maritime security issues such as trafficking of weapons, drugs and other contraband, people smuggling networks and potentially terrorism. Despite significant global efforts, eradication of IUU fishing, human trafficking and maritime piracy have defied interventions to date. This chapter analyses efforts to address these extreme activities, underlying motivators and facilitators, as well as ways in which outcomes might be enhanced in the future.
