fishing is that most countries’ governments calculate how many fish can be taken from their oceans in one year at a sustainable rate. They then give a certain amount of permits based on their calculations to ensure that what fish are being caught are being taken at a rate that is sustainable. However illegal fishing disrupts this balance by pushing the country's annual catch over a sustainable rate. According to the FAO, the most illegally caught fish species are sharks, with about 60 percent of sharks caught not being reported. However overfishing poses a threat to all species.

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According to NOAA Fisheries, the national marine fisheries service located within the United States of America, there are currently approximately 2,700  marine species that are marked as endangered or threatened. The sad thing is that since there are millions of plant and animal species alive, the ones on the endangered list are often treated as a low priority by many. Due to this it has been estimated that in the near future we are facing a potential mass extinction of marine wildlife, with hundreds, even thousands of species vanishing from our planet forever. These species range from the blue whale; the largest animal alive, to the tidewater goby; one of the smallest fish around. We are at risk of losing some of nature's most incredible creations, and there is no way we will ever be able to get them back.

Fortunately, there are some people who are doing their part to help out in avoiding this mass extinction. Organisations that aim to support this cause are starting to increase in number. Some non-governmental organisations such as Oceana, NOAA, and WWF, are helping through funding and awareness. Whilst others, such as Sea Shepherd, take a more direct and violent approach to this matter. However, it is not only organisations taking action to support this issue, there are also some individuals out there who stand out for their valiant efforts in the battle of saving the marine environment. One such figure is the former US president, Barack Obama. After being born and raised in Hawaii, where he learnt the importance of the oceans, Obama ended up quadrupling the size of the protected ocean around his birth island, Hawaii, during his presidency. Additionally in 2014 he used his political power to expand the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, created by George W Bush, by six times its size.

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If you are seeking a more local figure, then you need look no further than president Joko Widodo. Widodo is a national figure who also takes part in maintaining the levels of illegal fishing in Indonesian waters. Ever since president Widodo’s inauguration, he has spent  both time and money clamping down on the illegal fishing activities taking place on Indonesian waters. He prioritises illegal fishing as an important issue in Indonesia. On October 10, 2016, President Widodo delivered a speech in which he stated that Indonesia would continue the battle against illegal fishing. Saying that the illegal methods of fishing had accounted for $20 million USD in state losses and that over 65 percent of the coral reefs had fallen victim to these illegal fishing practises. Widodo claimed that, “eradicating illegal fishing would result in an increase in sea production capacity”. He was inspired to pursue this cause as it could be of great benefit for Indonesia’s economy. Through enforcing laws that strive for sustainable fishing, president Widodo is saving many marine habitats and conserving the current fish population. Due to his actions, the country's capacity for legally catching fish jumped from 7.3 million tons in 2013 to 9.3 million tons in 2015.

 

Most people do not fully understand the importance of the oceans. To further highlight the significance of the ocean in our everyday lives, President Widodo claimed that 2.6 billion people worldwide rely on the oceans as a source of income and food. Following his speech, the 2nd International Symposium on Fisheries Crime that included representatives from 9 different countries took place and continued to strive for sustainable fishing practices.

So we can conclude that President Widodo, definitely has a role to play in the crackdown on illegal fishing vessels. Not only that but he is seen globally as a prominent figure combating and raising awareness about illegal fishing.