Source: European Council on Foreign Relations
- The fisheries sector has become a central geopolitical issue in the Indo-Pacific.
- China is a major cause of the problems in the industry, thanks to the size of its fleet and the tonnage of its captures.
- China also contributes to the erosion of ocean governance through its participation in illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.
- Beijing instrumentalises its fishing fleet for geopolitical gain, as evidenced by its policy on the South China Sea.
- These predatory fishing activities threaten Europe’s geopolitical and geo-economic interests, as well as its attempts to protect marine biodiversity.
- Europe cannot be a bystander on the issue; it should develop a more proactive policy on fisheries.