Over 100 ships were attacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia in 2008. Germany and Europe hold strategic discussions about how combat missions can fight piracy, yet the root causes are often overlooked. The 1991 Somali state collapse led to massive illegal fishing along the coast. Many pirates are former fishermen and members of the Coast Guard. They were the first to take up weapons in an attempt to protest against these developments. As they had little success, however, they escalated to capturing ships and blackmailing ransom money, which proved to be a lucrative alternate source of income. This led to an increasingly “professional” image of piracy: small attack flotillas operate from a mother ship, and aside from rocket launchers, satellite telephones and GPS devices are used.

The pirates’ self-styled image has evolved to represent the defenders and protectors of Somali waters. However, potential consequences of their captures now include environmental catastrophes, as the attack of the Japanese oil tanker, Takayama, shows. The international community was forced to interrupt aid-deliveries, which most significantly affected the Somali population. On top of this, even the few remaining legal fishing companies withdrew their fleets from the area. This means a valuable source of income for the government is drying up, although members of that administration also seem to be involved in pirating operations.

Reactions to this piracy vary: ships are diverted to new routes, which dramatically increases transport duration and costs. Warships are also being deployed to the conflict region. A mandate is already in place: according to UN Security Council Resolution 1816 military action is allowed to halt piracy. However, measures against illegal fishing in regional waters – as one of the root causes of the conflict - have not yet been undertaken. (Achim Maas)

For further information please see:
Roger Middleton: Piracy in Somalia. Threatening global trade, feeding local wars, http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/papers/view/-/id/665/
Chatham House: Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; 4th Chatham house update and stakeholder consultation,
http://www.illegal-fishing.info/uploads/1_4thUpdateandconsultationmtgMar08.doc

Published in:ECC-Newsletter, December 2008