From deprivation to criminality: reversing the trend by harnessing the blue economy to tackle criminality at sea (CAS)

African oceans and the resources within them contribute to coastal livelihoods and the food security of millions of African people; at the same time, these same people are most vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, marine pollution, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, piracy and armed robbery at sea, expansion of the Blue Economy sector and the overall impact of depleting oceans resources and insecurity. Understanding how they respond to their vulnerabilities could be useful for addressing maritime security threats holistically and redirecting investments, allowing for the sustainable development of the Blue Economy in a way that adheres to the conceptual definition of the concept, encompassing the improvement of economic growth while ensuring social equity and environmental conservation. This agenda-setting transdisciplinary paper combines ideas from criminology, security and development fields to explore the nexus between deprivation in coastal communities in Africa and criminality at sea and how Africa’s Blue Economy can be leveraged to reverse the trend and ensure sustainable development ashore. Grounded in the critical review of the literature and the author’s theoretical and empirical insights into the Blue Economy, ocean governance and maritime security in Africa. The paper enhances our understanding of the interplay between deprivation and criminality at sea, and how sustainable Blue Economy and maritime security can reverse this trend.