Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing can lead to irreversible ecosystem changes; however, it is also one of the most difficult forms of fishing to manage and deter. In northern Australia over the past decade there has been a large increase in small‐scale IUU fishing. We suggest that this small‐scale fishing has arisen because of long‐term fisheries over‐exploitation in South East Asia. This IUU fishing forms part...