Mirage of Pirates: State-Corporate Crime in West Africa's Fisheries

Abstract

This article applies the concept of state-corporate crime to the fisheries sector. It presents a case study from Senegal where Russian, European and Asian fishing firms supported by their home governments, gained access to overfished stocks that are vital to local food security and the artisanal fishing sector. The discussion elaborates on the main observations from Senegal about the nature and implications of state-corporate crime, drawing on further evidence from other countries. It provides a contrasting perspective to mainstream fisheries policy, including the global fight against “fish pirates”, and the dictates of the wealth-based approach to fisheries reform.