Maritime threats in the Western Indian Ocean cost the region roughly $1.14 billion per year, according to a new report by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. The losses amount to 5.7% of the region’s gross marine product, a significant economic loss for activities linked to oceans, seas and coastal zones, collectively referred to as the blue economy, and an essential part of the region’s economic base. The report, published Dec. 9, identifies five major drivers of the loss, including illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which accounts for $246.3 million in annual losses from depleted stocks, undeclared revenues and habitat degradation. A second driver, piracy and armed robbery, is far less common now than in the early 2010s, but still requires protective measures that cost an estimated $164 million in 2021. Illicit trafficking, including of drugs, weapons and wildlife, accounts for another $330 million in annual economic losses and societal costs, the report says. Maritime migration of people heading to other countries costs roughly $300 million for expenses related to rescue operations, humanitarian interventions and loss of life, while oil spills and chemical pollution, the fifth threat identified in the report, cost another $100 million annually. The report cites the case of the MV Wakashio, a bulk carrier that ran aground off the coast of Mauritius in 2020 and spilled around 1,000 metric tons of fuel into the ocean. The immediate cleanup cost $50 million and the long-term restoration cost several times that much. This combination of economic,…This article was originally published on Mongabay

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