International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing
June 5, 2027
About International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing
The International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing is a United Nations observance held annually on 5 June. Coordinated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the day draws public attention to the damage that illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing inflicts on ocean ecosystems, fishing communities and food security, and it highlights the international efforts under way to stop it. In 2027 it falls on Saturday, 5 June.
What is the International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing?
The day is a global awareness observance dedicated to combating IUU fishing, a term that covers fishing conducted without authorisation, in breach of conservation rules, or in ways that go undocumented to evade oversight. It is led by the FAO and supported by governments, regional fisheries bodies, coastal authorities and conservation organisations around the world. The observance is aimed at everyone with a stake in healthy oceans, from policymakers and port inspectors to consumers who buy seafood. Its core message is that IUU fishing undermines the sustainable management of fish stocks and the livelihoods that depend on them.
When is the International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing?
The day is observed every year on 5 June. It is a fixed-date observance, so the calendar date never changes, although the day of the week does. In 2027 it falls on Saturday, 5 June. The date was chosen because it marks the anniversary of the entry into force of the Agreement on Port State Measures, the first binding international treaty created specifically to tackle IUU fishing.
Why the International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing Matters
IUU fishing is one of the most serious threats facing the world’s oceans. The FAO estimates that it accounts for somewhere between 11 and 26 million tonnes of fish each year, worth roughly 10 to 23 billion US dollars. Put another way, as much as one in every five wild-caught fish sold on the global market may come from illegal or unreported sources. When some analyses factor in the wider economic effects, the total losses climb considerably higher.
The harm goes well beyond money. IUU fishing depletes fish stocks faster than they can recover, distorts markets for law-abiding fishers, and hits hardest in regions that can least afford it. Coastal communities across West Africa and parts of the Global South lose food, income and jobs to foreign vessels operating outside the law. By spotlighting the problem on a single shared date, the observance helps build the political will and public pressure needed to close the loopholes that let illegal operators thrive.
How to Get Involved in the International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing
There are many ways to mark the day, whether you work in the seafood sector or simply care about the future of the oceans:
- Choose certified seafood – Look for recognised sustainability labels and traceability schemes when you shop or eat out, so your purchases support legal, well-managed fisheries rather than illegal ones.
- Learn to read seafood labels – Ask retailers and restaurants where their fish comes from and how it was caught. Demand for transparency pushes the supply chain to clean up its sourcing.
- Share FAO resources – Use the official campaign materials to explain what IUU fishing is and why it matters, helping friends and colleagues understand a problem that often happens out of sight.
- Support ocean charities – Donate to or volunteer with organisations that monitor fishing activity, advocate for stronger rules, or assist affected coastal communities.
- Follow the science – Read FAO reports and the work of monitoring groups that use satellite tracking to expose vessels that switch off their transponders or fish in protected waters.
- Encourage policy action – Write to elected representatives urging your country to ratify and enforce the Agreement on Port State Measures and to back stronger port inspections.
- Host or join an event – Schools, universities, aquariums and community groups can run talks, screenings or beach clean-ups that connect the observance to local marine conservation.
- Spread the word online – Post about the day on social media to reach people who may never have heard the term IUU fishing before.
History of the International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing
The observance has its roots in the Mediterranean. In 2015 the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean, a regional body within the FAO, proposed creating an international day devoted to the fight against IUU fishing. The FAO Committee on Fisheries endorsed the idea, recommending 5 June as the date.
The choice of date is deliberate. On 5 June 2016 the Agreement on Port State Measures officially entered into force. This treaty is the first legally binding international instrument designed specifically to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing. It works by tightening control at ports, requiring foreign vessels to request permission to dock and submitting them to inspection, which makes it far harder for illegally caught fish to reach the market.
In December 2017, at its seventy-second session, the United Nations General Assembly formally proclaimed 5 June as the International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing. The first observance took place on 5 June 2018, and the FAO has coordinated it each year since, using the occasion to report on progress and to rally further commitments from member states.
Noteworthy Facts About the International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing
- The day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in December 2017 and first observed in 2018.
- The 5 June date marks the 2016 entry into force of the Agreement on Port State Measures.
- The Port State Measures Agreement is the first binding international treaty aimed specifically at IUU fishing.
- IUU fishing is estimated to account for 11 to 26 million tonnes of fish a year, worth 10 to 23 billion US dollars.
- As much as one in five wild-caught fish sold worldwide may come from illegal or unreported catches.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing?
It is a UN observance, coordinated by the FAO, that raises awareness of the threats IUU fishing poses to ocean sustainability and the communities that depend on healthy fisheries, while promoting the international efforts working to stop it.
When is the International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing in 2027?
It is observed on Saturday, 5 June 2027. The date is fixed and falls on 5 June every year.
Why was 5 June chosen for the day?
The date marks the anniversary of the entry into force of the Agreement on Port State Measures in 2016, the first binding international treaty created specifically to combat IUU fishing.
Spread the Word
Help raise awareness by sharing the International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing with your friends, family and followers. Use the hashtags #EndIUUFishing and #EndIUUFishing2027 on social media. The more people who understand how illegal fishing harms our oceans, the greater the pressure to bring it to an end.
Related Awareness Days
- World Oceans Day – A global celebration of the ocean that highlights its importance and the need to protect it from threats including overfishing.
- World Sea Turtle Day – Focuses on marine species often harmed by destructive and illegal fishing practices such as bycatch.
- World Refill Day – Encourages cutting single-use plastic, another major pressure on the same marine ecosystems IUU fishing damages.
Links
- Visit the official FAO page for the International Day against IUU Fishing
- Explore more awareness days at AwarenessDays.com
Featured image: Photo by Paul Einerhand on Unsplash.
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