Natural Security Series: Global Security and Illegal Fishing in Somalia

Posted: April 6th, 2017

By Sally Yozell

Sally Yozell is a Senior Associate and Director of the Environmental Security program at the Stimson Center. Yozell's research examines the links between environmental crime and global security issues — with a focus on combatting Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing and wildlife trafficking; identifying innovative technologies to fight IUU fishing in Marine Protected Areas; and tracking transnational organized crime as well as natural resources theft. Prior to joining Stimson, Yozell was a Senior Advisor to Secretary of State, John Kerry and the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and Environment — where she provided advice and technical expertise to advance U.S. policies in the international arena related to ocean, coast, climate, and wildlife protection. Previously, Yozell served as Director of Policy at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Yozell also worked as a Regional Director for Marine Conservation at The Nature Conservancy; was a Vice President in the applied marine science group at Battelle Memorial Institute; and served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oceans at NOAA. She worked for almost a decade in the Senate as an environment and energy advisor to Senator John Kerry. Yozell holds a Master's degree in Public Administration from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government and a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Vermont.

On March 13, desperate Somali fishermen hijacked the tanker Aris-13 off the coast of Puntland, in the northeast part of the country. This was the first such incident in almost five years – raising concerns over a return to piracy in the Horn of Africa. Since then, two similar incidents have occurred – on March 23 and April 1. After a period of relative security on the seas in this region, where a global trade chokepoint exists, the hijackings beg the question – why are Somalis returning to these methods?

The decline in piracy in the Horn of Africa is largely credited to NATO and other international forces, which mobilized in 2008 to combat the hostage-taking of ships in the region. The recent hijackings have occurred not too long after the conclusion of NATO’s anti-piracy mission, known as Operation Ocean Shield, last December.

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