Beyond Naval Interventions in Somali Piracy

This research paper argues that while military interventions and shipping industry protections reduced Somali piracy, they failed to address root causes such as political instability, youth unemployment, and Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. The author advocates for a shift from traditional naval deterrence toward supporting Somalia's maritime governance, specifically through the implementation of the Somalia Maritime Resource and Security Strategy (SMRSS) and the development of the national coast guard and navy to combat IUU fishing.

• Military operations since 2008, specifically the European Union Naval Force Operation ATALANTA and NATO's Operation Ocean Shield, acted as the primary deterrents against piracy in the Gulf of Aden. These were supplemented by shipping industry measures, such as hiring armed personnel, and legal efforts including the creation of regional prosecution centres in Kenya and Seychelles and four prisons in Somalia via the UN Office on Drugs and Crime's Maritime Crime Programme.
• The root causes of Somali piracy include high youth unemployment, political instability, and a sense of exploitation caused by Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing in Somali waters. The decline in piracy has paradoxically been linked to an increase in IUU fishing, as illegal fishers no longer feared pirate attacks.
• Despite declaring its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in June 2014 and adopting the Federal Somali Fisheries Law in December 2014, Somalia lacks the institutional and technical capacity to monitor its waters. Specifically, the country lacks a Vessel Monitoring System, a Fisheries Monitoring Center, and an Automatic Identification System (AIS), and some vessels avoid Somali ports to evade inspection.
• To prevent a resurgence of piracy, international efforts must move beyond military deterrence to support Somalia's socio-economic development and maritime governance. This includes implementing the Somalia Maritime Resource and Security Strategy (SMRSS), developed in September 2013, and utilizing Operation ATALANTA to support monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) of fishing vessels.

APA

Osei-Tutu, J. A. (2015). Beyond Naval Interventions in Somali Piracy. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/research/beyond-naval-interventions-in-somali-piracy/

Chicago

Osei-Tutu, Joana Ama. Beyond Naval Interventions in Somali Piracy. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2015. https://saiia.org.za/research/beyond-naval-interventions-in-somali-piracy/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Osei-Tutu |first1=Joana Ama |title=Beyond Naval Interventions in Somali Piracy |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=27 September 2015 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/beyond-naval-interventions-in-somali-piracy/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{oseitutu2015beyond, author = {Osei-Tutu, Joana Ama}, title = {{Beyond Naval Interventions in Somali Piracy}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2015}, month = sep, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/beyond-naval-interventions-in-somali-piracy/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }