“Contrary to this perception” that piracy was in response to illegal fishing, “piracy was precipitated by the culture of looting rooted in Somali pastoralists’ long-standing means for acquiring otherwise unobtainable cash and goods. This culture was partly created by impoverished conditions, massive unemployment, and lack of local opportunities for education or any other path to better living standards.”
Re:Japan's Most Famous Tuna Buyer Says He Turned Somali Pira...
by ceejayoz on Friday October 09, 2026 @08:32PM
(#50028252)
> Another alternative is one that the United States and other western states are
reluctant to endorse: encouraging Sharia courts inside the clan territories. Islamic Sharia
courts could be a useful, vital instrument in combating piracy.
Other areas of the world have had similar responses to foreign commercial fishing:
>> In Southeast Asia, as competition for fish and other maritime resources intensified following the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997-1998, increases in industrial fish catch volumes by foreign fleets led to sharp increases in South China Sea pirate attacks organized by residents of villages reliant on small-scale fisheries
>> Piracy is a growing concern in Sierra Leone, particularly in the northern maritime areas. Foreign trawlers have been attacked and robbed of both their catch and personal effects. Most of the pirates are reported to be from Guinea.
However, there is evidence that piracy is more likely to exist in places where illegal fishing has declined. (With the disclaimer that "this research does not refute the earlier-held notion that foreign trawlers produce dissatisfied local fishers who turn towards piracy as a defense against foreign intruders."
Re:Japan's Most Famous Tuna Buyer Says He Turned Somali Pira...
by Retric on Friday October 09, 2026 @09:12PM
(#50028504)
That does not require empathy. Facts are useful independent of your ethical framework.
If your goal was to kill all former pirates you’d want to know their professional background and likely current occupation.
Similarly a ruthless dictator who wants to end piracy should understand all tools at their disposal.
Ignorance is simply a detriment for efficiency. Though obviously if you want to exploit someone else it’s useful for them to be ignorant, which helps explain your own failings.
Re:Japan's Most Famous Tuna Buyer Says He Turned Somali Pira...
by bigstrat2003 on Friday October 09, 2026 @08:41PM
(#50028304)
I'm not saying he was in the right, but calling people nutjobs (even indirectly) is in pretty flagrant violation of the rules. Don't flame people just because they are making bad posts.
Re:Japan's Most Famous Tuna Buyer Says He Turned Somali Pira...
by Incipient on Saturday October 10, 2026 @03:20AM
(#50030520)
Honestly if Somali pirates legitimately only attacked foreign fishing vessels breaching their sovereign borders - good for them! (I mean, it's quite brutal, but don't fish in someone else's water).
However, Somali pirates attack pretty much anyone, even those not disrespecting their sovereignty, which is less cool.
Re:Japan's Most Famous Tuna Buyer Says He Turned Somali Pira...
by BoorishBears on Friday October 09, 2026 @08:48PM
(#50028344)
It's actually pretty rare people need to be reminded of this because it's self-evident and platitudinous.
Much more commonly, the statement is used by writers who want to wax poetic without actually having to commit to any meaningful position on the topic at hand... which is exactly how the AI-written article in question uses it.
Re:Japan's Most Famous Tuna Buyer Says He Turned Somali Pira...
by rsalus on Friday October 09, 2026 @08:48PM
(#50028340)
Besides being obviously AI editorialized, the idea that a few fishing boats were the reason Somali piracy stopped and not because of an international coalition of navies is... quite a stretch.
“Contrary to this perception” that piracy was in response to illegal fishing, “piracy was precipitated by the culture of looting rooted in Somali pastoralists’ long-standing means for acquiring otherwise unobtainable cash and goods. This culture was partly created by impoverished conditions, massive unemployment, and lack of local opportunities for education or any other path to better living standards.”
Yiiiikes.
https://www.reuters.com/article/somalia-piracy-idUSLDE7650U3...
As the Taliban funded itself with heroin in Afghanistan.
>> Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing by foreign fishing vessels in Somali waters has been problematic for decades .
>> The central government collapsed in 1991, and the ensuing increase in foreign fishing became a justification for piracy against fishing vessels.
(https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles...)
Other areas of the world have had similar responses to foreign commercial fishing:
>> In Southeast Asia, as competition for fish and other maritime resources intensified following the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997-1998, increases in industrial fish catch volumes by foreign fleets led to sharp increases in South China Sea pirate attacks organized by residents of villages reliant on small-scale fisheries
(https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal...)
>> Piracy is a growing concern in Sierra Leone, particularly in the northern maritime areas. Foreign trawlers have been attacked and robbed of both their catch and personal effects. Most of the pirates are reported to be from Guinea.
(https://wikileaks.jcvignoli.com/cable_09FREETOWN258)
However, there is evidence that piracy is more likely to exist in places where illegal fishing has declined. (With the disclaimer that "this research does not refute the earlier-held notion that foreign trawlers produce dissatisfied local fishers who turn towards piracy as a defense against foreign intruders."
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096262982...)
Maybe read the first paragraph
Does this apply to the illegal fishing fleets, too?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishing_industry_in_China
> The Chinese commercial fishing fleet is responsible for more illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing than that of any other nation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegal,_unreported_and_unregu...
Why not?
Who said that? You seem to have made that up and got mad about it.
If your goal was to kill all former pirates you’d want to know their professional background and likely current occupation.
Similarly a ruthless dictator who wants to end piracy should understand all tools at their disposal.
Ignorance is simply a detriment for efficiency. Though obviously if you want to exploit someone else it’s useful for them to be ignorant, which helps explain your own failings.
You win good Sir.
On the other hand, if you have a contribution to the conversation, please, go right ahead and make it.
However, Somali pirates attack pretty much anyone, even those not disrespecting their sovereignty, which is less cool.
Ughhh I hear this like 5x a day now. It's the new emdashery.
Much more commonly, the statement is used by writers who want to wax poetic without actually having to commit to any meaningful position on the topic at hand... which is exactly how the AI-written article in question uses it.
At the time, Somalia was extremely dangerous and under strict travel restrictions.
Therefore, he established a base in Djibouti, which was relatively safe and hosted a Japan Self-Defense Forces base.
He then invited former pirates and fishermen from the surrounding areas to that location.
In reality, his approach was to provide indirect support through fishing equipment and technical training.
It'd be nice if the article linked to the sources. There's very little substance in this article.