Pursuing the fish: A terraqueous perspective in the failure of the illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing regime in Southeast Asia

• Main Author: Palma, Lisa Marie F.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2024
• Subjects: Fishing > Southeast Asia; Fishery law and legislation > Southeast Asia; Fishery management; Asian Studies
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etdm_intlstud/41; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/etdm_intlstud/article/1040/viewcontent/2024_Palma_Pursuing_the_fish__A_terraqueous_perspective_in_the_failure_of_th.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

IUU fishing in Southeast Asia has been perceived as complex and multidimensional, occurring within national waters and on cross-borders, becoming a significant threat to maritime and resource security. International, regional, and domestic responses were created to combat IUU fishing, yet the problem persists. While the persistence of IUU fishing has been examined through the lens of institutionalism, constructivism, and international political economy, this paper offers a terraqueous perspective that highlights the maritime space as a changing force in world politics. Utilizing the theory of terraqueous territoriality, this paper argues that the complex dynamics between the state, capitalism, and international regimes result in fisheries management measures that contribute to the proliferation of overcapacity and IUU fishing activities. Specifically, the persistence of IUU fishing in the region stems from the capitalistic states’ desire to improve fisheries production, further enabled by the sovereign rights and appropriating power accorded by international regimes, resulting in different forms of appropriation that enable IUU fishing to persist. Keywords: IUU fishing, fisheries management, ASEAN, capitalism, commodity frontiers