The IMCS Network seeks to promote and facilitate communication, cooperation, coordination, and capacity development across the fisheries MCS, compliance and enforcement community. To support these efforts, the Network has been facilitating a series of virtual seminars that bring our community together to explore topics of interest.
Last December, the Network facilitated a virtual seminar on the FAO Voluntary Guidelines for Transhipment. The seminar had over 300 registered participants representing 60 countries. The seminar included presentations from representatives of port states, coastal states, flag states and market states.
“The virtual seminar gave FSM the opportunity to provide our experiences as a port, flag and coastal State responsible for monitoring transhipment operations in our waters and for our flagged vessels. It was great to share our experience and hear from others about theirs. The information and lessons learned has a real impact on our work and we applaud the IMCS Network for their initiatives that promote these types of discussions. We look forward to the upcoming seminars this year.”
Youky Susaia, Assistance Director of the Fisheries Compliance Division at the National Oceanic Resources Management Authority, Federated States of Micronesia.
The seminar focused on the operational implications of the Voluntary Guidelines and challenges to, and opportunities for, implementation. The Voluntary Guidelines and transhipment operations will also be discussed at the 7th GFETW in Halifax later this year.
“I am thrilled at the level of interest and engagement generated by our virtual seminar on the Voluntary Guidelines for Transshipment. It is our community, those MCS officers on the ground, that will need to implement the Guidelines, to turn policy into action. It is therefore essential that MCS officers understand the scope and potential impact the Voluntary Guidelines may have on their day-to-day work. The Network is focused on providing effective forums to support robust and meaningful discussion and information sharing and we look forward to our second virtual seminar in February this year.”
Mark Young, Executive Director of the IMCS Network
This month, the Network, in collaboration with Starboard Maritime Intelligence, will facilitate a second virtual seminar focused on Building Capabilities and Connections: The Use of Satellite Remote Sensing in Fisheries MCS. Satellite remote sensing is one of the most promising new technologies to support the monitoring of vessels at sea. Like all technologies however, it does have its limitations and there can be a lack of understanding on how it can be used to effectively support fisheries MCS. The virtual seminar will bring our community together to hear presentations from experts working with satellite technologies that support fisheries MCS. The virtual seminar will provide an opportunity for an open and robust exchange of information, ideas and lessons learned and to separate the hype around satellite capabilities from the reality.
The Network will moderate the virtual seminar and presentations will include case studies from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency, Global Fishing Watch, Skylight and Starboard Maritime Intelligence. The Network is excited to provide this forum and welcomes all with an interest and involvement in fisheries MCS, compliance and enforcement or fisheries management to register to participate.
The virtual seminar will be hosted on Swapcard on 21 February 2023, at 19:00 EST (-5 UTC/GMT). Attendance is free and open to our members, observers and wider MCS community. You can register to attend here. Even if you cannot make the live event, if you register you can watch the recorded discussions and view all site content and supporting materials for up to three months following the event.
The virtual seminars are serving as a prelude to the 7th GFETW that will be held in Halifax Nova Scotia from 31 July to 4 August 2023. We would welcome your attendance at the 7th GFETW, and you can register to attend here.