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74> Chapter 033.26 > Differentspecies groups (fishand other marinefauna) are affectedby IUU fishing tovarying degrees. Oneparticular study hasshown that from2000 to 2003, IUUfishing mainlytargeted demersalspecies (i.e. thosewhich live and feed onor near the bottom ofthe sea). The figureshows the illegal andunreported catch,as a percentage ofreported catch, byspecies group.Percentage100806040200Misc. demersalfishesSalmons, troutsand smeltsMisc. coastal fishesLobsters,spiny-rock lobstersCods, hakes,haddocksShrimps, prawnsOystersSquids, cuttlefishes,octopusesHerrings, sardines,anchovisMisc. marinecrustaceansMisc. pelagic fishesScallops, pectensCrabs, sea spidersClams, cockles,arkshellsmarine fish neiTunas, bonitos,billfishesFlounders, halibuts,solesshow that even fishermen from EU countries are notimmune to temptation and that the prospect of a healthyprofit may persuade them to fish illegally.The problem is exacerbated by the fact that not everyIUU vessel needs to put into port in order to land its catchimmediately. In many cases, especially off the coast ofWest Africa, the smaller fishing vessels load their catchonto larger refrigerated ships (known as reefers) while atsea. During this transshipment, fishermen on board arealso resupplied with food and fuel, enabling them toremain at sea for many months.The Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission (SRFC) concludesthat some IUU vessels off West Africa are in operation365 days of the year, putting massive pressure on fishstocks. The refrigerated ships then make for ports in countrieswith lax controls, enabling them to land their catchesunhindered.The practice of using a flag of convenience (FOC) alsomakes it easier to engage in IUU fishing activity. Instead ofregistering the ships in the shipping company’s homestate, IUU fishers operate their vessels under the flag ofanother state, such as Belize, Liberia or Panama, with lessstringent regulations or ineffective control over the operationsof its flagged vessels.By switching to a foreign register of ships, restrictiveemployment legislation and minimum wage provisions inthe home country can also be circumvented, allowing theshipping companies to pay lower wages and social insurancecontributions for their crews than if the vessel wereregistered in Germany, for example. Furthermore, fisherieslegislation in “flag-of-convenience” states is oftenextremely lax. These countries rarely, if ever, inspect theirvessels for illegal catches.Monitoring of onboard working conditions is alsoinadequate, and conditions are correspondingly poor. Thefishermen work for low wages on vessels whose standardsof accommodation are spartan in the extreme, andwhich rarely comply with the current safety standardsapplicable to merchant shipping under the InternationalConvention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS regulations).The Convention contains exact details of equipmentthat must be available to ensure safety on board.