Coastal Enforcement and Illegal Fishing in Somali Waters

Somalia’s coastline is among the longest in Africa, yet coastal enforcement remains thin relative to the water it is asked to cover. This article maps illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing against the agencies tasked with stopping it, and against the political bargains that decide who actually goes to sea.

It examines port controls, licensing and the practical limits of coast-guard and naval assets. Case notes from southern and north-eastern waters show where coordination fails — overlapping licences, unpaid fuel, contested jurisdiction — and where joint patrols are starting to work.

Illegal fishing is not only an economic loss. It is a security problem: it funds local protection rackets, undermines the state’s claim to the shoreline, and gives armed groups a story about who defends Somali waters.

Recommendations focus on information sharing between ports, community reporting from fishing towns, and a realistic sequence of capability investments rather than a single national fleet that cannot be crewed or maintained.