The Port State Measures Agreement. The Pew Trusts Seafish Common Language Group 16 November 2017

Transcription

1 The Port State Measures Agreement The Pew Trusts Seafish Common Language Group 16 November 2017

2 Contents Overview of the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA) Benefits in fighting illegal, unreported, unregulated (IUU) fishing Links to other instruments and tools Status of the PSMA Implementation PSMA and seafood buyers

3 What is the PSMA? 2009 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing Regulates foreign-flagged fishing vessels involved in fishing operations that seek entry into port to land or transship fish Allows States to refuse access to port services or inspect suspicious vessels

4 How does it work?

5 How does it help fight IUU fishing? Stops illegal seafood making its way to the market Fewer ports available to offload illegal catch => reduced incentive to continue IUU activities Resource-efficient and cost-effective Gets different national agencies to work together Requires improved communication protocols between flag, coastal and port States Increases transparency, including for the industry

6 How does it fit into the larger picture? Links in with other initiatives to fight illegal fishing: Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Cape Town Agreement & ILO 188 Global Record Flag State Performance Catch Documentation Schemes

7 Status of the PSMA Entered into force in June States plus the EU are Party to the PSMA

8 Why do we need more Parties? IUU operators look for path of least resistance => Port shopping and ports of convenience Regional collaboration Global coverage is critical Ports with strict measures must become the standard in supply chains

9 PSMA Implementation Differing levels of application around the globe Implementation work starts with Capacity Needs Assessment Various aspects of implementation to cover, such as: Aligning national legislation to the provisions of the PSMA Establishing an institutional setup that allows for follow-up action and sanctions in the case of IUU activity Training of staff across authorities on port inspection standards Establishing policies and technology for information exchange

10 PSMA Implementation Challenges Lack of political will Weak legislative framework for enforcement and prosecution Insufficient operational capacity for risk analysis and inspections Limited cooperation from flag and coastal States Insufficient inter-agency and cross-country cooperation and information sharing Concerns about both the financial implications and economic losses of taking action against IUU fishing

11 PSMA Implementation Assistance PSMA includes an Article specifically on the requirements of developing countries Assistance fund to be set up, under the FAO FAO programme for capacity development on the PSMA and related instruments to fight IUU fishing Some RFMOs mandate PSMs and provide related assistance and training Many other bi-lateral initiatives for PSMA

12 PSMA Implementation Assessment Currently no clear method for assessing a State s level of implementation FAO working on bi-annual self-assessment questionnaires Seafood buyers have a role to play in evaluating the ports in their supply chains and ensuring they are of low risk to IUU seafood

13 So what can YOU do? Map supply chains to understand ports of landing and transhipment Advocate for States to join the PSMA Check that foreign-flagged vessels are using designated ports Encourage States to actively participate in PSMA implementation initiatives Enquire into implementation of port State measures

14 Questions? Nikolas Evangelides, Senior Associate, Ending Illegal Fishing Campaign