Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39392891›Full record

ArticleScience advances2024

Who owns reefer vessels? Uncovering the ecosystem of transshipment in fisheries.

Frida Bengtsson, Jean-Baptiste Jouffray, Shinnosuke Nakayama, Erik Zhivkoplias, Colette C C Wabnitz, Robert Blasiak, Elizabeth R Selig, Henrik Österblom

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Science advances, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Casting light on the workings of illegal fishing markets.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Frida BengtssonStockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0003-4955-9625
Jean-Baptiste JouffrayStockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-4105-6372
Shinnosuke NakayamaStanford Center for Ocean Solutions, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-1048-1202
Erik ZhivkopliasStockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0001-8492-5649
Colette C C WabnitzStanford Center for Ocean Solutions, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-5076-9163
Robert BlasiakStockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-0888-0159
Elizabeth R SeligStanford Center for Ocean Solutions, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-5479-6580
Henrik ÖsterblomStockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-1913-5197

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

A central barrier to effective governance and accountability in fisheries is the limited transparency of corporate ownership. Transshipment-the transfer of catches, fuel, parts, or crew between fishing and cargo vessels known as reefers-is often criticized for its opacity and poor governance. Better insight into the beneficial ownership of vessels involved in transshipment and their operational patterns could lead to more effective management. Our study presents a publicly accessible database of reefers' owners, operators, and flags. We identified 569 individual reefers and found that Russian and Chinese owners control 26 and 20% of the global reefer fleet, respectively. Results also show that 65% of all reefer vessels fly the flags of Russia, Panama, or China. This high level of consolidation suggests considerable leverage for enhancing transparency and governance. Our findings highlight the potential for reforming existing transshipment practices through collaboration among owners, flag states, fishery regulators, and scientists.

Indexed as

Conservation of Natural ResourcesEcosystemFisheriesOwnershipAnimalsChinaCoral ReefsHumansRussiaShips

Identifiers

PMID39392891
PMCPMC11480961

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.