Combating Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing (IUUF)
OVERVIEW
We hosted a delegation of Latin American professionals visited New Orleans from April 20–24, 2025, for a focused exchange on Combating Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing (IUUF). Participants explored Louisiana’s role as a vital hub for coastal management, maritime law, and sustainable fisheries. Their visit included a meeting with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to examine data-driven enforcement strategies in state waters, and a dialogue with Captain Jimmy Corley in Bayou Yscloskey on local conservation efforts and the historical legacy of St. Malo, the first Filipino settlement in the U.S. The group engaged with culinary leaders at Gris Gris restaurant to discuss sustainable seafood sourcing and visited Tulane University’s Maritime Law Center for a conversation with legal scholar Martin Davies on international frameworks addressing IUUF. A final session with the Southern U.S. Trade Association (SUSTA) illustrated how agricultural and seafood exports are governed and promoted across global markets. Our delegates gained critical insight into how law, culture, science, and policy intersect in the effort to protect marine ecosystems and ensure responsible stewardship of global fisheries.
PARTICIPANTS
Diego Alejandro BRANDAN
Undersecretary of Fisheries Province of Chubut
Jose Alejandro ALPIZAR ARRONES
Assistant Prosecutor/Prosecutor Coordinator; Deputy Agrarian Environmental Prosecutor, Public Ministry, Judiciary
Lady MARTINEZ GUTIERREZ
Commander, Costa Rican Coast Guard Station, Puntarenas, Ministry of Public Security
Fernanda
Chief of Legal Advisory at the National Directorate of Aquatic Resources, Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture, and Fisheries of Uruguay
Julio
Specialized Officer in Fisheries Technology, Fisheries Technology Laboratory of the National Directorate of Aquatic Resources
Claudia
Professional at the Biodiversity and ecosystems service National Direction of the Environmental Ministry
