The Outlaw Ocean
2019 book about maritime crime
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The Outlaw Ocean: Journeys Across the Last Untamed Frontier (also published as The Outlaw Ocean: Crime and Survival in the Last Untamed Frontier) is a 2019 book by Ian Urbina about crime and extralegal activity in international waters. The book was based on an investigate journalism series Urbina wrote for The New York Times.[1] Topics covered include illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, modern slavery and violent crime committed at sea, as well of the work of organisations, governments and companies in international waters.[2][3][4] The book was critically acclaimed.
First edition | |
| Author | Ian Urbina |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | |
| Genre | True crime Investigative journalism |
| Published | 2019 (Knopf) 2020 (Vintage Publishing) |
| Publication place |
|
| Media type | |
| Pages | 560 |
Synopsis
The Outlaw Ocean is structured as a series of essays about lawlessness at sea with each chapter covering a different aspect and case studies. Urbina describes his experiences of their reporting. These include:
- The Thunder, an illegal fishing vessel that was part of the Bandit 6, and its pursuit by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
- Maritime law enforcement against illegal fishing in Palau and Indonesia
- The Principality of Sealand, an unrecognised micronation and former pirate radio station off the coast of Suffolk
- Women on Waves, an NGO that provides abortions in international waters for women in countries where they are illegal
- Stowaways in international shipping
- A Greenpeace and academic expedition by the MV Esperanza to survey the Amazon Reef in advance of plans to drill the region for oil.
- Poor working conditions and modern slavery in the fishing industry, particularly in Thailand
- Violent crime at sea, including an investigation of a clip showing a murder at sea committed by a longliner crew
- Piracy off the coast of Somalia
Reception
It was reviewed positively in The Guardian,[2] New Statesman,[5] NPR[3] and The New York Times.[6] It also entered The New York Times Best Seller list in September 2019.[7]
Urbina's reporting adapted for the book won numerous awards as a New York Times series.
Adaptations
The book is accompanied by a musical project, The Outlaw Ocean Music Project, which involved around 200 musicians sampling field recordings from the book's research trips and creating a soundtrack.[8][9]
Urbina also established The Outlaw Ocean Project, a non-profit journalism organisation to produce further stories about maritime crime.[10]
A film adaptation of Urbina's reporting is in development by Netflix, set to be produced by Leonardo DiCaprio.[11]
In 2022 CBC Radio and the LA Times released a seven-part podcast called The Outlaw Ocean, featuring Urbina's reportage.[12]
