IUU fishing dominated much of the discussion at FAO’s Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture (COFI), which celebrated the entry into force of the FAO Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA).
The European Union has registered its disappointment that while important steps were made towards ending illegal fishing, COFI stopped short of adopting guidelines on catch document schemes.
‘The EU nevertheless welcomes progress made on sustainable small-scale fisheries, gear marking and tackling ghost gear,’ a spokesman said, adding that the the EU also called on FAO to improve co-operation and co-ordination with other international bodies.
The highlight of the COFI session was the high-level event to celebrate the entry into force on 5 June of the landmark FAO Port State Measures Agreement to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing. More than 30 entities, including the EU in 2011, have ratified this agreement so far. DG Mare Director General Joao Aguiar Machado took the opportunity to call on all states to join the EU in its fight against IUU fishing and prevent IUU products from entering the market.
COFI expressed its support to further tackle IUU fishing through a global record of fishing vessels, by developing ways to estimate the scale of IUU fishing, and by organising an International Day on IUU fishing.
‘The EU welcomes these decisions. However, it was a disappointment that delegates could not agree to adopt voluntary guidelines on catch documentation schemes. The EU considers such guidelines essential to prevent illegally caught fish from entering the market, and regrets this lack of agreement.’
A theme arising in the discussions, and one strongly promoted by the EU, was the need for FAO to improve co-operation with other relevant bodies and processes. This includes the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the UN process on conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
‘As a strong promoter of better international ocean governance, the EU believes that the many international organisations dealing with oceans need to step up their coordination and cooperation to ensure that our oceans and seas are managed sustainably.’
