Some strong co-operation between Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries nations identified six tuna fishing vessels and four Vietnamese ‘blue boats’ targeting coastlines of Pacific nations as part of the region’s latest maritime surveillance operation.
Promoted as a key measure to combat illegal fishing, the Port State Measures Agreement, adopted and promoted by FAO, has been welcomed by EU Fisheries Commissioner Karmenu Vella and others as it allows nations to exclude illegal operators and prevent illegal catches form being landed.
The Port State Measures Agreement, designed by the FAO as a mechanism to help crush illegal fishing, is set to come into force as international law on the 5th of June now that 30 members have deposited the required articles of adherence.
Three foreign fishing vessels arrested yesterday in South African waters have been inspected today at the port of East London amid concern at a sudden influx of foreign fishing vessels in South African waters.
After a bizarre chase, the South African authorities have arrested a Chinese fishing vessel and escorted it to Cape Town, where fines for a range of infringements have been imposed.
Trade unions from UK, Norway, Italy, Denmark and Belgium picketed and distributed leaflets at the gates of the Seafood Expo Global to support fish workers campaigns in Philippines, Indonesia and Morocco and to call the industry to clean up human rights violations.
The European Union has issued yellow card warnings to Kiribati, Sierra Leone and Trinidad & Tobago as they continue to lag behind in efforts to combat illegal fishing. Sri Lanka has been delisted, having put in place reforms to its fisheries system.
Responding to grassroots concerns from the quayside, the NFFO has joined forces with the MMO, IFCAs and the wider stakeholder community to get the message out to restaurants, shops and consumers that the trade in fish caught by unlicensed vessels is not a victimless crime.
The decision on whether or not to pursue the evidence accumulated by the crew of a Sea Shepherd vessel who tracked Chinese netters from the southern Indian Ocean to a Chinese port now rests with the Chinese authorities.
Two Vietnamese fishing vessels were apprehended off North Queensland over the Easter weekend, suspected of fishing illegally in Australian waters. The Australian Border Force’s Maritime Border Command (MBC) worked with the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) to board the suspected vessels following a Queensland police report on their activities.