The illegal fishing trade is supplying the eating habits of Europe as fishing supplies has dwindled in the region.

From the International Herald Tribune:

In Europe, the imbalance between supply and demand has led to a thriving illegal trade. About 50 percent of the fish sold in the EU originates in developing nations, and much of it is laundered like contraband, caught and shipped illegally beyond the limits of government quotas or treaties. It is a well-financed, sophisticated smuggling operation, carried out by large-scale mechanized fishing fleets able to sweep up more fish than ever, chasing threatened stocks from ocean to ocean.

The European Commission estimates that more than €1.1 billion worth, or $1.6 billion, of illegal seafood enters Europe each year. The World Wildlife Fund says that up to half of fish sold in Europe is illegal.

Havocscope lists the global illegal fishing market at $4.5 billion.