Fishery enforcement can prevent a wider security crisis

Exclusive economic zones divide more ocean resources among states and require a real presence to make regulations credible. A government cannot restrain its own fishing fleet while appearing to tolerate foreign violations. Uneven enforcement encourages fishermen to ignore rules or enforce their own view of fairness. The account of Somali piracy begins with fishermen who believed outsiders were fishing without permission and depleting their stocks. That perceived injustice encouraged vessel seizures, followed by a move toward ships worth more than fishing boats. European disputes over quotas likewise show how a sense of unfair enforcement can create serious diplomatic tension.