Over the past year there has been significant success in combatting illegal fishing in the region and the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) will continue to lobby for support from nations in its zone as it believes that while the numbers have decreased, the illegal activity will continue, SOUTHCOM Commander, General Laura Richardson says.
“I think there has been huge success. A year to a year and a half ago we weren’t even talking about IUUF [Unreported and Unregulated fishing]. What the hemisphere has done to counter IUUF? We have partnered with the SOUTHCOM. We are just a piece of the whole thing that the hemisphere has done to combat IUUF,” General Richardson told Stabroek News in an exclusive interview during her recent visit for the 2023 Tradewinds exercise.
