NOAA Fisheries has denied US port privileges to certain fishing vessels from 17 nations, as of 10th October. These measures are aimed at vessels involved in IUU fishing or fishing practices that harm protected marine life.
The list covers longliners under the People’s Republic of China flag that are authorised under several international commissions, Russian-flagged fishing vessels authorised under CCAMLR to target toothfish, Mexican-flagged vessels operating in gillnet fisheries in the Gulf of Ulloa – existing port denials for Mexican fishing vessels fishing in the Gulf of Mexico remain in place – and longline fishing vessels operating in ICCAT fisheries beyond national jurisdictions and flagged to Algeria, Barbados, Côte d’Ivoire, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Namibia, Senegal, Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, and Türkiye.
The port denials prohibit services such as refuelling and resupplying to these vessels, except for essential services required for crew safety, health, and welfare. Access to ports and port services won’t be denied in cases of force majeure or distress.
These measures stem from NOAA Fisheries’ negative certification of nations under the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act. The Act mandates identifying nations with vessels involved in IUU fishing, and nations and entities having fishing activities and practices that result in bycatch of protected marine life, or shark catch beyond any national jurisdiction, where such nations have not adopted regulatory measures comparable to the United States.
Following identification, NOAA Fisheries engages in a two-year consultation period with the concerned nations. These are encouraged to address the issues and improve their fisheries management and enforcement practices. Failure to take corrective action leads to negative certification and subsequent measures, including the denial of US port privileges.
The 2023 Report to Congress negatively certified 17 nations, citing issues such as IUU fishing and bycatch of protected marine life with ineffective mitigation measures. The People’s Republic of China and Russia were negatively certified for IUU fishing practices. Mexico was cited for inadequate measures to reduce loggerhead sea turtle bycatch and for IUU fishing.
Positive certification and the lifting of port denials are possible once the nations adequately address their respective issues, without waiting for the next congressional report.
