1 Piracy off the coast of Somalia started with fisherman defending their territory

2 After the Somali government collapsed in 1991 other nations started fishing and dumping toxic waste in Somali waters

3 The local fisherman would board the foreign vessels and demand a fee

4 They called themselves the Coast Guard and their stated mission was to defend Somalia's territorial integrity until the formation of a new government

5 These patrols eventually expanded their reach and their motives

6 Piracy is now Somalia's biggest source of income bringing in nearly 200 million annually

7 Most of the pirates are young and come from the war torn southern regions

8 There are typically three categories of pirates

9 The first is the fisherman. They are valuable for their seafaring skill and knowledge of the open waters

10 The second is the ex-militiaman. They previously fought for local warlords and clans.

11 The third is the technical expert who operates equipment such as GPS devices

12 The closest Somali word for pirate literally translates as ocean robber but most of the pirates prefer a term translated as saviors of the sea

13 With the use of motherships, the range of pirate skiffs has been extended well into the Indian Ocean

14 Pirates generally access the ships via ladders that they bring with them.

15 They will then typically use RPGs and small arms to intimidate the crew

16 Harming the crew typically goes strongly against the pirate code so there have not been very many pirate related casualties in the last few decades

17 The policy of not harming hostages also ensures that governments are less likely to step in and employ do not negotiate tactics

18 The operations are now very vast and intricate with an actual stock exchange existing where financiers can buy stock in upcoming raids

19 There are numerous third parties benefiting from piracy as well. These include insurance providers and pirates who have set up operations to double as pirate negotiators

20 Another interesting side effect is that formerly impoverished Somali and Kenyan fisherman are now able to make a living as fish populations return to normal after the departure of foreign fishing vessels

21 Apparently Britney Spears songs have been used as a deterrent against pirates by warships in the region

22 Several pirates have been prosecuted already, notably 6 were executed by a Yemeni court

23 In contrast, those tried in Europe receive several years in prison and are then typically not sent back to Somalia because it is deemed as too dangerous.