Education is one of our most powerful tools for empowering people, changing attitudes, and solving complex problems. Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing is a complex international governance and sustainability problem that is multifaceted and needs to be tackled from many specialist angles. To solve the problem in the real world requires coordination and holistic understanding of the problem and dissemination of this knowledge, particularly to developing country actors who need it most and have the power to effect change in their communities and institutions.

The CAPFISH project draws upon global expertise in fisheries such as the United Nations Agencies directly involved in the fishing sector (FAO, ILO, and IMO), non-governmental organisations, and experts across the world to create a unique opportunity for transformative education to help solve the problem of IUU fishing.

Through a series of educational workshops the CAPFISH Project disseminates the expertise of the UN specialized agencies as well as academic and practical knowledge to maritime professionals from across the developing world. CAPFISH is a trans-disciplinary initiative that integrates science, economics, maritime policy and ocean governance, law and regulation, maritime technology and operation, safety at sea, societal factors, human rights, and compliance monitoring and enforcement.

CAPFISH aligns SDG-17 (Partnerships for the Goals) with SDG 4 (Quality Education) to address the problem that IUU fishing presents for achieving SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).