The issue of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing has moved to the forefront of the international fisheries policy agenda in recent years. Governments around the world have recognised the negative effects of IUU fishing activities on resource sustainability, biodiversity and economic and social sustainability. This situation led the OECD Fisheries Committee to address this problem in its 2003-05 work programme, focusing on the environmental, economic and social issues surrounding IUU fishing, both in terms of the incentives for engaging in IUU operations as well as their environmental, economic and social impacts. The Workshop hosted by the OECD on 19-20 April 2004 was a step forward in bringing together information, analysis and debate on this topic, and proposing new approaches to combating it. Around 120 experts from OECD and non-OECD countries, regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs), international governmental ...