The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) in collaboration with Auxilium Worldwide has launched a comprehensive report series and strategic recommendations under the theme: "Fish and Flags: Supporting Caribbean countries in Moving from Threatened to Thriving".

The virtual launch event, which was held on 16 December 2025 and attracted over 125 participants, marks a pivotal step in the collective effort to address the escalating threats facing the Caribbean Sea, the Region's vital lifeblood. The "Fish and Flags" initiative provides policymakers, enforcement agencies and industry leaders with an essential, actionable roadmap to transition from environmental vulnerability to sustainable blue prosperity.

Lt. Col. Michael Jones, Executive Director, CARICOM IMPACS, stated: “This launch is a powerful demonstration of our collective commitment to regional security, especially as the Caribbean continues to grapple with the emerging and evolving challenges of environmental crime and natural resource exploitation”.

He explained that CARICOM IMPACS has noticed a rapid acceleration in transnational organised criminal networks exploiting the Region’s natural resources for profit. “The fisheries sector is now a prime target. Criminal actors are diversifying their activities far beyond the well-known crimes that law enforcement typically monitors. Organised criminals are evolving and they are leveraging knowledge gaps regarding natural resource and environmental crime to evade detection”, he revealed.

Col. Jones added that the reports launched were the result of intense research and collaboration and provide a detailed roadmap with intelligence and recommendations for immediate, unified action among Member States to secure the Caribbean Region’s marine wealth against complex challenges posed by transnational organised crime.

The "Fish and Flags" initiative synthesises extensive research, country consultations and expert analysis, focusing on the sophisticated methods used by criminal organisations to exploit the Region's marine resources.

Key findings and strategic insights were featured from the following specialised reports:

• Fisheries Crime in the Caribbean: Selected Modalities for Heightened Awareness: Analysing the specific criminal methods employed in the Region.
• The Exploitation of Flag Registries and IUU Fishing in the Caribbean: Addressing the link between flag-of-convenience practices and Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.
• Caribbean Flag Registry Susceptibility to IUU Fishing, Exploitation, and Criminal Activity: Offering a deep-dive assessment of vulnerabilities within national vessel registration systems.
• Caribbean Fisheries Legislation Gap Analysis: Identifying legal and regulatory deficiencies that enable illicit activities.
• Caribbean Economic Impact: Criminal Exploitation of Fisheries and Flags: Quantifying the significant financial losses incurred by Member States due to these crimes and noting the even greater impact on food security.
• Environmental and Sustainability Impacts of IUU Fishing & Fisheries Crime in the Caribbean: Highlighting the long-term ecological damage caused by these activities and susceptible species which could be the next focus of criminal exploitation.

The recommendations outlined in the reports aim to strengthen regional enforcement capacity, harmonise maritime legislation and enhance transparency in vessel registration (flag registries) to tackle these vulnerabilities, which can better protect the CARICOM Region’s marine ecosystems, safeguard its fisheries and ensure the long-term sustainability of the blue economy.

Dr. Ian Ralby, President, Auxilium Worldwide, said they were proud to collaborate with CARICOM IMPACS on this critical initiative and noted that the data clearly shows that IUU fishing, as well as fisheries crime are not just environmental issues but serious security and economic threats that undermine the rule of law and the sovereignty of Caribbean States. “The reports provide a framework for a coordinated, transnational response that is necessary to move the Caribbean from merely threatened to truly thriving”, he reiterated.

The reports are available at: https://www.caricomimpacs.org/library and https://www.auxworldwide.com