IUU Fishing as a Disputed Concept and Its Application to Vulnerable Groups: A Case Study on Arctic Fisheries

Abstract

Abstract This study is a brief reflection upon the features of the Central Arctic Ocean Fisheries Agreement with regard to indigenous stakeholders, and the potential effects of their uncritical inclusion in the broad interpretive and compliance paradigm known as illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Developed from a vulnerability perspective, the study highlights the need to take into account interdependencies between fragile ecosystems and vulnerable human communities. The authors formulate a normative pathway for the regulation of Arctic fisheries that explicitly integrates legal frameworks established for the protection of indigenous peoples and their rights, promoting a nuanced, legally informed and inclusive understanding of the IUU fishing paradigm.