| Author: | Ian Urbina |
| Language: | English |
| Genre: | True crime Investigative journalism |
| Published: | 2019 (Knopf) 2020 (Vintage Publishing) |
| Media Type: | |
| Pages: | 560 |
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.
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 book was acclaimed by critics.[5] It was reviewed positively in The Guardian, New Statesman,[6] NPR and The New York Times.[7] It also entered The New York Times Best Seller list in September 2019.[8]
Urbina's reporting adapted for the book won numerous awards as a New York Times series.
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.[9] [10]
Urbina also established The Outlaw Ocean Project, a non-profit journalism organisation to produce further stories about maritime crime.[11]
A film adaptation of Urbina's reporting is in development by Netflix, set to be produced by Leonardo DiCaprio.[12]
In 2022 CBC Radio and the LA Times released a seven-part podcast called The Outlaw Ocean, featuring Urbina's reportage.[13]