Somalia is one of the poorest nations in the world, its economy largely dependent on the fishing industry. However, powerful nations have ruined the country's fishing industry by using huge deep-sea trawlers and illegally dumping waste materials on the Somali coast. The United Nations Security Council, the European Union and NATO have broadly supported these acts through resolutions. Faced with these powerful institutions, a powerless nation, such as Somalia, lacks a range of resources to combat this exploitation. To make their voices heard, a Somali pirate culture has developed over the past twenty years. It involves hijacking ships and demanding ransom. Although their actions did not attract much attention at first, publicity and awareness about this issue has steadily increased. The purpose of this article is to show that Somali pirate culture has reached a point where it successfully influences the global economy, with consequences in countries around the world. By controlling international trade routes, Somali pirates support this power. These efforts by Somali pirates show their disparity and mean that they will not allow the piracy of their resources without retaliation. To draw attention to their dire situation, the Somali pirate culture developed over two decades ago, plundering fishing boats and commercial ships for ransom from other countries. While their methods may not be the most legitimate, their efforts have been effective. Somalia's coastline extends just under two thousand miles, allowing control of much of where the Gulf of Aden flows into the Indian Ocean and creates a choke point. “Equipped with small boats, firearms, grappling hooks and… half paper… this is exactly why this culture was started, they continue to fight the war against the Somali pirates. Works CitedAgence France Presse. (2009, April 15). Inquirer.net. Retrieved January 12, 2011, from Inquirer.net: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20090415-199432/Facts-and-figures-Somalia-piracyReuters. (2009, April 15). Reuters. Retrieved January 12, 2011, from Reuters.com: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE53E2JR20090415?pageNumber=2Thakurta, S. (2008, October 10). Piracy in Somalia: the world cannot afford to ignore it. Retrieved January 12, 2011, from Merinews: http://www.merinews.com/article/somalia-piracy-the-world-cant-afford-to-ignore/144093.shtmlWright, R. (2011, January 16). Financial times. Retrieved January 17, 2011, from FT.com: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/658138a6-219b-11e0-9e3b-00144feab49a.html#axzz1BKVMULD0