The Outlaw Ocean: Crime and Survival in the Last Untamed Frontier

"There are few remaining frontiers on our planet. But perhaps the wildest, and least understood, are the world's oceans: too big to police, and with no clear international authority, the oceans have become the setting for rampant criminality--from human trafficking and slavery to environmental crimes and piracy. Now, in The Outlaw Ocean, Ian Urbina--prize-winning reporter for The New York Times--gives us a galvanizing account of the several years he spent exploring and investigating the high seas, the industries that make use of it, and the people who make their--often criminal--living on it. He traveled on fishing boats and freighters, visited port towns and hidden outposts. He witnessed both environmental vigilantes and transgressors in action, and faced a near-mutiny aboard a police ship conveying him to a meeting point miles from the coast. He describes pursuing employment agencies and shipowners to hold them accountable for labor abuses, and traveling with a maritime repo man. Combining high drama, an investigative reporter's eye for detail, and a commitment to social justice, The Outlaw Ocean is both a gripping adventure story and a stunning exposé of some of the most disturbing realities that lie behind fishing, shipping, and, by turn, the entire global economy"-- Read more... There Are Few Remaining Frontiers On Our Planet. But Perhaps The Wildest, And Least Understood, Are The World's Oceans: Too Big To Police, And With No Clear International Authority, The Oceans Have Become The Setting For Rampant Criminality--from Human Trafficking And Slavery To Environmental Crimes And Piracy. Now, In The Outlaw Ocean, Ian Urbina--prize-winning Reporter For The New York Times--gives Us A Galvanizing Account Of The Several Years He Spent Exploring And Investigating The High Seas, The Industries That Make Use Of It, And The People Who Make Their--often Criminal--living On It. He Traveled On Fishing Boats And Freighters, Visited Port Towns And Hidden Outposts. He Witnessed Both Environmental Vigilantes And Transgressors In Action, And Faced A Near-mutiny Aboard A Police Ship Conveying Him To A Meeting Point Miles From The Coast. He Describes Pursuing Employment Agencies And Shipowners To Hold Them Accountable For Labor Abuses, And Traveling With A Maritime Repo Man. Combining High Drama, An Investigative Reporter's Eye For Detail, And A Commitment To Social Justice, The Outlaw Ocean Is Both A Gripping Adventure Story And A Stunning Exposé Of Some Of The Most Disturbing Realities That Lie Behind Fishing, Shipping, And, By Turn, The Entire Global Economy-- Storming The Thunder -- The Lone Patrol -- A Rusty Kingdom -- The Scofflaw Fleet -- Adelaide's Voyage -- Jail Without Bars -- Raider Of The Lost Arks -- The Middlemen -- The Next Frontier -- Sea Slavery -- Waste Away -- Fluid Borders -- Armed And Dangerous -- The Somali 7 -- Hunting Hunters -- Epilogue: A Void -- Appendix: Reining In The Outlaw Ocean. Ian Urbina. Includes Bibliographical References (pages [423]-519) And Index. A Riveting, Adrenaline-fueled Journey Through Some Of The Most Dangerous Regions Of The Earth--the High Seas, Where Lawlessness And Physical Risk Prevail. There Are Few Remaining Frontiers On Our Planet. Perhaps The Wildest, And Least Understood, Are The World's Oceans: Too Big To Police, And With No Clear International Authority, The Oceans Have Become The Setting For Rampant Criminality--from Human Trafficking And Slavery To Environmental Crimes And Piracy. Now, In The Outlaw Ocean, Ian Urbina--prize-winning Reporter For The New York Times--gives Us A Galvanizing Account Of The Several Years He Spent Exploring And Investigating The High Seas, The Industries That Make Use Of It, And The People Who Make Their--often Criminal--living On It. He Traveled On Fishing Boats And Freighters, Visited Port Towns And Hidden Outposts. He Witnessed Both Environmental Vigilantes And Transgressors In Action And Faced A Near-mutiny Aboard A Police Ship Conveying Him To A Meeting Point Miles From The Coast. He Describes Pursuing Employment Agencies And Shipowners To Hold Them Accountable For Labor Abuses And Traveling With A Maritime Repo Man. Combining High Drama, An Investigative Reporter's Eye For Detail, And A Commitment To Social Justice, The Outlaw Ocean Is Both A Gripping Adventure Story And A Stunning Exposé Of Some Of The Most Disturbing Realities That Lie Behind Fishing, Shipping, And, In Turn, The Entire Global Economy. "There are few remaining frontiers on our planet. But perhaps the wildest, and least understood, are the world's oceans: too big to police, and with no clear international authority, the oceans have become the setting for rampant criminality--from human trafficking and slavery to environmental crimes and piracy. Now, in The Outlaw Ocean, Ian Urbina--prize-winning reporter for The New York Times--gives us a galvanizing account of the several years he spent exploring and investigating the high seas, the industries that make use of it, and the people who make their--often criminal--living on it. He traveled on fishing boats and freighters, visited port towns and hidden outposts. He witnessed both environmental vigilantes and transgressors in action, and faced a near-mutiny aboard a police ship conveying him to a meeting point miles from the coast. He describes pursuing employment agencies and shipowners to hold them accountable for labor abuses, and traveling with a maritime repo man. Combining high drama, an investigative reporter's eye for detail, and a commitment to social justice, The Outlaw Ocean is both a gripping adventure story and a stunning exposé of some of the most disturbing realities that lie behind fishing, shipping, and, by turn, the entire global economy"-- Provided by publisher There are few remaining frontiers on our planet. But perhaps the wildest, and least understood, are the world's oceans: too big to police, and under no clear international authority, these immense regions of treacherous water play host to rampant criminality and exploitation. Traffickers and smugglers, pirates and mercenaries, wreck thieves and repo men, vigilante conservationists and elusive poachers, seabound abortion providers, clandestine oil-dumpers, shackled slaves and cast-adrift stowaways -- drawing on five years of perilous and intrepid reporting, often hundreds of miles from shore, Ian Urbina introduces us to the inhabitants of this hidden world. Through their stories of astonishing courage and brutality, survival and tragedy, he uncovers a globe-spanning network of crime and exploitation that emanates from the fishing, oil and shipping industries, and on which the world's economies rely. Both a gripping adventure story and a stunning expos, this unique work of reportage brings fully into view for the first time the disturbing reality of a floating world that connects us all, a place where anyone can do anything because no one is watching. Perhaps the wildest, and least understood, of the world's remaining frontiers are the oceans. Too big to police, and with no clear international authority, the oceans have become the setting for human trafficking and slavery, environmental crimes and piracy. Urbina gives us a galvanizing account of the high seas, the industries that make use of it, and the people who make their living on it. The result is both a gripping adventure story and a stunning exposé of some of the most disturbing realities that lie behind fishing, shipping, and, by turn, the entire global economy. -- adapted from jacket