When considering national resilience, energy supply, agriculture, international trade, and defence are often the first areas that come to mind. However, overlooking fisheries in this context is a significant oversight. Although fishing represents a smaller segment of the UK economy, it is crucial for national security, coastal communities, and environmental management.
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Fisheries are at the intersection of domestic regulation and international supply chains, making their governance both critical and susceptible to challenges. Currently, the UK’s governance does not fully meet the highest standards required in this area.
Fragile
ClientEarth has examined the availability of data on the ultimate beneficiary ownership (UBO) of commercial fishing vessels operating in UK waters, detailed in a report titled ‘Whose Boat is This?’
The results are concerning. For approximately 75% of the fishing vessels studied, the UK government does not adequately disclose the true ownership. This lack of transparency is particularly problematic amid growing concerns over sovereignty, as it leaves the UK unable to fully understand who is leveraging its marine resources. This opacity allows vessel owners to conceal their identities through complex corporate arrangements and shell companies, hiding the UBO. Ignoring this issue is not advisable, and there are three key reasons why.
Firstly, domestic security is at stake. The current geopolitical climate is more volatile than it has been in recent times, with ongoing conflicts causing economic strain and unpredictable international relations.
This instability has made supply chains that were previously considered reliable more fragile. Knowing who controls essential parts of the food system is crucial.
Over-exploitation
Lacking transparency in ownership of fishing vessels limits the UK’s control and increases vulnerability to economic and public safety risks. It is unclear whether authorities can confidently identify who benefits financially from accessing UK waters, and this information is challenging or impossible for the public to ascertain.
This lack of clarity diminishes the UK’s public interest by obscuring the financial flows between UK commercial fishing activities and the wider economy.
Moreover, hidden ownership complicates efforts to detect links to illegal financial activities or sanctions evasion. The UK cannot definitively rule out connections to organized crime, sanctioned groups, or hostile entities.
Enforcement of regulations depends on the ability to hold the right parties accountable, which is only possible if authorities are aware of who is truly responsible.
