"This book presents perspectives on the problem [of piracy with contributions] from four continents, diverse legal cultures, and multiple disciplines. [It] appraises piracy from the standpoint of key participants in the social processes that are plagued by piracy--mariners, navies, shipowners and operators, policy makers and lawyers. Decision-making and operational measures cannot be separated from piracy's origins and continuing social impact. Thus the contributors bring clarity to the problem through the lenses of history, development, law, maritime security, fisheries, economics and ocean commerce. Maritime piracy initiatives are generating a great number of operational and institutional counter-measures and the diversity of stakeholder interests often complicates proposed solutions. Against that backdrop the contributors examine strategies--the range of available modalities to address and correct the problem--through the lenses of naval power, port state control, penal systems and development. And they appraise law--both national and international authoritative decisionmaking--viewing state practice, international regulations, tribunal judgments, custom and international conventions from the comparative perspectives of Africa, India, England, France and the United States"--Provided by publisher.