Warming climate has unexpectedly contributed to the development of piracy

Gary LaFree, professor of criminology at the University of Maryland, has published a report that provides statistics on piracy in two of the world’s key logistical regions, East Africa and the South China Sea. It is directly related to the level of fish and seafood catch – the lower the catch, the more frequent the attacks on passing ships. It’s all done by the same people who are forced to take risks for their own survival.

The warming of the atmosphere and coastal waters changes the living conditions of the creatures, causing fewer commercial fish in the local seas. Catching fish is easier and safer than attacking other people’s ships. However, when fishermen are unable to engage in their usual craft, they have little choice. They know the local waters well and are skilled at seamanship; the sea feeds them all their lives. The only question is what at the present moment will be the source of their prey.

According to Gary, the pirate fishermen do not consider themselves criminals, because they are not to blame for the decline of fish stocks. They are the developed countries whose economic activities are increasing emissions into the atmosphere, global warming and climate change. And because so many of these same countries’ ships cross the waters in which fish are traditionally fished, native seafarers consider them to be their rightful prey. Bringing them to justice is problematic, so it makes sense to turn our attention to combating climate change on the planet.

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