Global clampdown on unregulated fishing
Fishing illegal suspect
(BRUSSELS) - A ground-breaking international treaty to fight illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing - blamed for destroying global fish stocks - came into force at European and at global level Sunday.
The Port State Measures Agreement, adopted and promoted by the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation, is the first binding international treaty specifically aimed at preventing illegally caught fish from entering ports around the world, by reducing the number of ports where these products can be unloaded and making it harder for illegal fishing operations to do business.
The scale of the problem worldwide is massive, with the worth of IUU fishing estimated at up to 10 billion euros a year. That amounts to 15 per cent of the global seafood market.
The agreement is seen as a key tool to prevent IUU fish from entering the market.
EU Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella welcomed the entry into force of the Agreement:
"The EU has always played a leading role in the fight against IUU fishing activities and was among the first to approve this major international agreement already in 2011 … We need to make sure that all coastal states … have the means to effectively implement the Port State Measures Agreement. The fight against illegal fishing has become global and perpetrators will soon have nowhere to hide."
The WWF has also welcomed the deal. "Illegally caught seafood endangers marine ecosystems, hurts law-abiding fishermen, and penalizes governments, retailers and consumers who play by the rules. PSMA is a cost effective way of leveraging market forces to close ports everywhere to vessels suspected of illegal activities," said Michele Kuruc, WWF-US vice president of oceans policy.
The Port State Measures Agreement was originally adopted by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in November 2009. It entered into force on 5 June 2016, 30 days after the 25th ratification.
The agreement requires that countries officially designate ports for use by foreign fishing vessels. These vessels should send prior notifications to enter designated ports and provide port authorities with information, including on the catches they have on board. The Agreement also calls on countries to deny entry or inspect vessels that have been involved in IUU fishing and to take appropriate actions. The exchange of information between coastal and flag states will also improve significantly. Several additional countries are about to ratify the Agreement in the forthcoming months.
29 countries and the EU (who have signed as one single party) have formally committed and signed the Agreement to date. The parties account for more than 62% of fish imports worldwide and 49% of exports, totalling to more than €119,180 million (USD 133,000 million) and €124,560 million (USD 139,000 million), respectively in 2013. FAO estimates that each year, IUU fishing adds catches amounting to 26 million tonnes, with a value reaching €20,610 million (USD 23,000 million). In so doing, it undermines the efforts to ensure sustainable fisheries and responsible management of fish stocks worldwide.
Further information, European Commission