Revisiting the fisheries–piracy nexus in Somalia: illegal fishing, governance collapse, and maritime crime

This Perspective examines the fisheries–piracy nexus in Somalia, arguing that governance collapse, illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and environmental degradation created the structural conditions for the emergence of Somali piracy, while subsequent ransom-based professionalization transformed it into organized maritime crime. Using a narrative synthesis approach grounded in interdisciplinary literature the study conceptualizes Somali piracy as a sequential political–ecological process linking resource exploitation, livelihood disruption, and maritime insecurity. While public narratives often portray piracy as opportunistic criminality, the analysis demonstrates that its early development was closely associated with state fragility, weak maritime governance, and foreign exploitation of Somali waters in the Western Indian Ocean. Although piracy declined sharply after 2012 due to coordinated international counter-piracy measures, recent trends indicate its potential re-emergence under shifting regional security dynamics. Recognizing both the structural origins and adaptive transformation of piracy, the study concludes that sustainable maritime security requires integrated strategies that combine fisheries governance, coastal livelihood protection, and continued international maritime cooperation.