This blogpost highlights that many attempts to curb IUU fishing exacerbate the structural inequalities that drive ‘illegal’ activities, such as criminalising already marginalised individuals and populations. It stresses the pressing and overlapping marine policy issues are related to human rights in the ocean and the situation of ocean defenders. The blogpost calls for stakeholders to address policy and legislation which does not address fair access to the ocean and corruption amongst lawmakers and regulatory authorities, and deal with issues raised by the use of flags of convenience and fisheries subsidies that serve as catalysts for illegal activities on the sea.