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About GFETW

7th GFETW Plenary Photo

The goal of the IMCS Network is to promote and facilitate communication, cooperation, coordination, and capacity development across the global fisheries MCS, compliance and enforcement community. Following the establishment of the Network in 2001, the Global Fisheries Enforcement Training Workshop (GFETW) was developed to help realize our goal. The GFETW is a biennial Workshop that brings together the global fisheries community over five days to discuss priority and emerging MCS challenges and opportunities, to exchange information and share lessons learned. The GFETW is an interactive event that provides opportunities for capacity building and networking for our members, observers and partners. It also provides an opportunity to champion successful initiatives and the voices of our members and their experiences. 

The GFETW is the only global event of its type and it has grown significantly since the first Workshop that was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2005. At that time, the Workshop was focused on fisheries law enforcement officers and low-cost, low-tech approaches to fisheries MCS. Since then, the Workshop has expanded to encompass a broader fisheries MCS and compliance community including from NGOs, IGOs and academic institutions. There has also been a growing focus on new and emerging technologies and how these might be accessed and applied to support fisheries MCS. In recognition of the growing interest in new and emerging technologies, 2016, the Network joined forces with the Seafood and Fisheries Emerging Technology (SAFET) initiative to hold the SAFET Conference and the GFETW back-to-back.

Since 2005, the Workshop has been held regularly including in Trondheim, Norway in 2008, in Maputo, Mozambique in 2011, in San José, Costa Rica in 2014, Auckland, New Zealand in 2016 and Bangkok, Thailand in 2019. During the Covid-19 Pandemic, the Workshop was held virtually in 2021. The last GFETW was held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada in mid-2023 and the next will be held in 2026. 

The Stop IUU Fishing Award

The 4th Stop IUU Fishing Award was presented at the 7th GFETW in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Find out more by clicking the button below.

Thailand DOF Officers on patrol