Yahoo News 25 Nov 09;
ROME (AFP) – A landmark treaty aimed at denying port access to foreign boats engaged in illegal fishing has been signed by the United States and a host of other nations, as well as the EU, the UN said Wednesday.
Ichiro Nomura, assistant director-general of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation's Fisheries Department, called it the most significant international fishing treaty since 1995.
It marks the first time countries will be called upon to deny foreign fishing boats access to their ports if they are found to have engaged in illegal fishing.
Responsibility for the boats has primarily been with the countries granting them permission to fly their flags.
"It's a milestone achievement," Nomura said. "No longer will we solely rely on the ability of fishing nations to monitor behaviour by vessels flying their flags on the open waters of the oceans.
"Now countries are committing to taking steps to identify, report and deny entry to offenders at ports where fishing fleets are received. That's a key back-door that will be slammed shut with the new international treaty."
The FAO's governing body has approved the treaty and 11 members have signed it, the organisation said.
They are: Angola, Brazil, Chile, the European Commission, Indonesia, Iceland, Norway, Samoa, Sierra Leone, the United States and Uruguay.
It will take effect once 25 countries have ratified it.
The FAO said foreign fishing vessels wishing to dock will be required to request permission from ports ahead of time, transmitting information on their activities and the fish they have on board.
That provides authorities an opportunity to spot any red flags in advance, it said. Port states will also conduct regular inspections of ships according to a common set of standards.
When a vessel is denied access, port states must communicate that information publicly and national authorities of the country whose flag the vessel is flying must take follow-up action, the FAO said.
Illegal fishing agreement to push pirates out of ports
WWF 27 Nov 09;
Rome, Italy – A new international agreement to better control vessels in the world’s ports will cut off access to global markets for pirate fishers, responsible for fueling overfishing and the illegal seafood trade.
This week, states participating in the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) adopted an agreement on port control of vessels engaged in fishing and fish trade, which will greatly reduce illegal fishing.
The new Binding International Agreement on Port State Control Measures to Combat, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing (Port State Agreement) sets minimum standards for what every port state must do to prevent illegally caught fish from being offloaded and reaching global markets.
WWF applauds the FAO for ensuring that the Port State Agreement was successfully developed and adopted, and commends progressive member states such as Norway for encouraging the negotiation process for the past two years.
“The oceans are not a ‘free-for-all.’ This landmark agreement makes clear the responsibility of states to keep illegal fish from entering their ports;” said Miguel A. Jorge Director Marine Program at WWF International. “States serious about stamping out pirate fishing and preventing illegally caught seafood from reaching our dinner plates will sign on to this agreement quickly.”
The Port State Agreement was opened for signature on Nov. 23 during the FAO Annual Conference in Rome. Currently, 11 states including the European Union, Chile, Indonesia, Norway and the United States have signed the new treaty, an important first step to become a party to the agreement. In order to enter into force, 25 states need to become parties to the Port State Agreement.
Illegal fishing is one of the largest causes of overfishing and threatens the livelihoods of legitimate fishers and coastal communities. Current estimated value of financial losses because of illegal fishing worldwide is estimated at USD 10 billion to USD 23 billion annually.
