Library

An introductory guide to longline fishing vessels to support MCS officers undertaking longline vessel inspections. While this is a standalone tool focussed on longline fishing, it has been developed as part of series of similar introductory guides on other major industrial fishing methods and related operations, as well as complementary material on fishing vessel inspection considerations. This guide includes how to recognize longline vessels, how they operate and operational MCS considerations.

A training tool on industrial fishing vessel inspections to assist in building knowledge in personnel who may play an operational role in fisheries monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS), as well as for use by broader interested stakeholders.

An introductory guide to purse seine fishing vessels to support MCS officers undertaking purse seine vessel inspections. While this is a standalone tool focussed on purse seine fishing, it has been developed as part of series of similar introductory guides on other major industrial fishing methods and related operations, as well as complementary material on fishing vessel inspection considerations. This guide includes how to recognize purse seine vessels, how they operate and operational MCS considerations.

An introductory guide to pole and line fishing vessels to support MCS officers undertaking pole and line vessel inspections. While this is a standalone tool focussed on pole and line fishing, it has been developed as part of series of similar introductory guides on other major industrial fishing methods and related operations, as well as complementary material on fishing vessel inspection considerations. This guide includes how to recognize pole and line vessels, how they operate and operational MCS considerations.

An introductory guide to longline fishing vessels to support MCS officers undertaking longline vessel inspections. While this is a standalone tool focussed on longline fishing, it has been developed as part of series of similar introductory guides on other major industrial fishing methods and related operations, as well as complementary material on fishing vessel inspection considerations. This guide includes how to recognize longline vessels, how they operate and operational MCS considerations.

An introductory guide to purse seine fishing vessels to support MCS officers undertaking purse seine vessel inspections. While this is a standalone tool focussed on purse seine fishing, it has been developed as part of series of similar introductory guides on other major industrial fishing methods and related operations, as well as complementary material on fishing vessel inspection considerations. This guide includes how to recognize purse seine vessels, how they operate and operational MCS considerations.

An introductory guide to pole and line fishing vessels to support MCS officers undertaking pole and line vessel inspections. While this is a standalone tool focussed on pole and line fishing, it has been developed as part of series of similar introductory guides on other major industrial fishing methods and related operations, as well as complementary material on fishing vessel inspection considerations. This guide includes how to recognize pole and line vessels, how they operate and operational MCS considerations.

An introductory guide to longline fishing vessels to support MCS officers undertaking longline vessel inspections. While this is a standalone tool focussed on longline fishing, it has been developed as part of series of similar introductory guides on other major industrial fishing methods and related operations, as well as complementary material on fishing vessel inspection considerations. This guide includes how to recognize longline vessels, how they operate and operational MCS considerations.

Following the FAO's in-depth study "Transshipment: A closer look," this report captures contributions from the ground that aim to provide voluntary guidelines for the regulation, monitoring, and control of transshipment that are in fact robust, future-proof, and operationally achievable. The study recommends looking at seven key areas that would enable relevant authorities to minimize the risk of IUU-caught seafood entering the market and to ensure compliance with national and regional legal frameworks.

The Tuna Compliance Network (TCN) was established to facilitate communication and cooperation between officers responsible for compliance and experts in Monitoring, Control, and Surveillance. Implementing Conservation and Management Measures, specifically for highly migratory species like Tuna, can be challenging for RFMOs; however, as an informal network, TCN provides a unique opportunity for the exchange of information to take place between tuna RFMOs.

The number of reported high-seas transshipment events in the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) Convention Area has increased by over 94% between 2014 and 2018. This growth in transshipment activity has not been met with equal management and monitoring regulations. The Commission implemented Resolution 18-06 requiring that all transshipments occur in port but allows large-scale tuna fishing vessels (LSTVs) to transship at sea if they are authorized by their flag CPC and comply with other specific requirements. However, this paper analyzes transshipment operations reported to have occurred within the IOTC Convention Area and finds that the resolution has flaws and that high-seas transshipment is increasing with insufficient monitoring and compliance. All of these problems are given a recommendation on how to address them.

The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) has seen a staggering growth in transshipment activity within its Convention Area. Using publicly available information on transshipment
operations within the WCPFC, the WCPFC provides an analysis of transshipment and recognizes the need for additional management rules on transshipment within its Convention Area. Their analysis shows flaws in managing transshipment events and sharing and reporting data between other RFMOs and within their own carrier observers. Implementation of the best practices developed by the Pew Charitable Trusts could be a solution to this issue.

The UN adopted the Port State Measures Agreement (PMSA) in 2009 to stop the use of ports by IUU fishing and support vessels. However cost-effective they are, in many countries, particularly developing countries, a comprehensive set of tools is needed to support the practical implementation of the Agreement. To achieve this, the Pew Environmental Group developed the PMSA Toolkit, a resource that aims to help developing countries identify their capacity needs, provide them with key information, and guide them through the most technical and detailed elements of the Agreement.

The Ports Task Force Ghana (PTFG) is working diligently to implement the National Strategy and Action Plan for the implementation of the 2009 FAO Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing and complimentary international instruments and mechanisms. They have identified the threats of allowing IUU fishing to move through their ports for what it does to local fisheries, the economy, and the country's people. Through a detailed course of action and various partnerships, PTFG will work to bring an end to vessels suspected of participating in IUU from entering Ghana's ports.

IUU fishing contributes to the over-exploitation of natural fisheries resources and is detrimental to coastal communities' quality of life. IUU fishing has targeted African ports, which are at particularly great harm from the practice. To deter IUU fishing, the Port State Measure Agreement (PMSA) came into force to enable port officials to deny foreign vessels access to their port and services such as refueling and repairs if suspected of illegal activities. However, Stop Illegal Fishing recognizes the agreement itself is not enough. With the support of others, they will work to implement the PMSA in African countries through a holistic approach that requires looking at legal and policy issues, compliance and enforcement, and cooperation and awareness.

The UN's ambitious PMSA intends to stop IUU vessels from entering port and ensure that vessels are complying with conservation and management measures, among other responsibilities. However, developing nations were concerned about the resources required to build this capacity. In response, the PEW Environment group is working to create a Capacity Needs Assessment (CNA) methodology, a tool states can use to find a personalized strategy in implanting the PSMA. The PMSA capacity building needs run the risk of being unfeasible for developing nations, but this CNA methodology provides a clear and accessible tool for bridging this divide.

Trawling is recognized as ecologically destructive and unsustainable and contributes to widespread IUU fishing in Indonesia. The number of trawlers is highest in North Sumatra, even though trawlers were banned in Indonesian waters in 1980. Indonesian authorities, because of bribery and corruption, have been unwilling to enforce the ban, leading to a rise in trawler activity. Trawlers often illegally enter a 3-mile zone reserved for traditional fishing activities. This invasion has led to ecological harm to the area, a decrease in stock leading to increasingly less income and a collapse of local fisheries, and most alarmingly, high levels of violence and conflict, sometimes leading to death. JALA is working with local fisheries to represent their needs to the Indonesian government and provide a solution for this urgent situation.

Stop Illegal Fishing's (SIF) mission is to combat IUU fishing, particularly in coastal African countries. To complete this goal, SIF has partnered with multiple African fisheries to implement the Port State Measure Agreement. SIF has a robust system to recognize and take action against illegally caught fish and illegal vessels (a check, inspect, and act process), which they are now developing into standard operating procedures (SOPs) that they train on the ground. They have also aided multiple task forces around Africa which translate into greater regional and international cooperation. Through their work in 2019, SIF is helping achieve a more equitable and effective blue economy.

In an extensive one-year research on Thailand's overseas fishing fleets, Greenpeace finds that many of Thailand's distant water fishing fleets participate in illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing. Despite the Thai government passing regulation in 2015 to control distant fishing fleets, Greenpeace uncovers multiple enduring human rights violations. Many of Thailand's companies, aided by large refrigerated vessels known as "reefers", are once again sailing at sea, continuing practices that lead to trafficking, fatalities, disease, and countless other human rights violations.

This Issue Paper is based on a desk review of research carried out on Transnational Organised Crime at Sea, with particular emphasis on existing UNODC materials concerning transnational organized crime at sea and
the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. It also captures discussions held in an expert group meeting Vienna held in November 2012 and serves as a background document to the recommendations of the expert meeting. The paper examines piracy and armed robbery at sea, migrant smuggling and trafficking in persons, drug trafficking, organized crime within the fishing industry and oil bunkering, both in terms of the specific activities and the common challenges and intertwined elements of these crimes.