Cuba joins forces with global anti-rogue fishing effort

NaijaAgroNet:

 The Cuban Ambassador to the United Nations agencies in Rome, Alba Soto Pimentel, has formally presented FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva with Cuba's instrument of accession to the Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Ambassador Soto Pimentel said Cuba's accession to this international treaty is a sign of the political will of the Government of Cuba to contribute in an effective and concrete way in support of measures for the protection and sustainability of ecosystems and the preservation of marine biodiversity.

For his part, the FAO Director-General, Graziano da Silva, strongly welcomed Cuba's accession, saying "I am sure it is an example which will be followed by many other countries in the Caribbean region."

The Agreement, NaijaAgroNet gathered will create binding obligations, comes into force when 25 countries or regional economic blocs have deposited their instrument of adherence with the FAO Director-General. With Cuba's adherence 23 countries and the European Union, on behalf of its members, have deposited 24 instruments of adherence. Among the latest are Barbados, Guyana, Republic of Korea, South Africa and the United States.

Graziano da Silva has expressed confidence that the target of 25 could be reached by July this year.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that Illicit fishing, which includes operating without authorization, harvesting protected species, using outlawed fishing gear and violating quota limits, may account for up to 26 million tonnes a year, or more than 15 percent, of the world's total annual capture fisheries output.

Besides economic damage, such practices can threaten local biodiversity and food security in many countries.

Port State measures set standards for inspection of foreign vessels that seek to enter the port of another State. Importantly, the measures allow a country to block ships it suspects of having engaged in illicit fishing and thereby prevent illegal catches from entering local and international markets.

To assist countries in building their capacity to implement the Agreement, FAO has convened a series of regional workshops around the world, with participation from over 100 countries.

By becoming party to and implementing the Agreement, States will be in a position to better achieve the objectives of the voluntary 1995 FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, which seeks to promote the long-term sustainability of the sector.

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Pix: (r) Cuban Ambassador to the United Nations agencies in Rome, Alba Soto Pimentel, presenting FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva with Cuba's instrument of accession to the Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing, recently.

Countries collaborate against rogue fishing

NaijaAgroNet

 

Many countries have indicated interest to join in the fight against rogue fishing which is estimated to have shed about $23billion (N4.58trillion) from the global economy, NaijaAgroNet reports.

The growing number of countries ratifying the international agreement to combat unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is fueling interest on how best to implement the instrument.

The agreement, NaijaAgroNet gathered, will begin operational once 25 countries deposit their instrument of ratification, known as acceptance of accession. As of now, 12 countries have done so, the latest being Iceland in June while two more states will soon join them.

According to the terms of the agreement, NaijaAgroNet learnt, fishermen, port authorities, coast guards and navies will be able to collaborate to strengthen inspections and control procedures at ports and on vessels. It also allows states to prevent the landings of catches derived from IUU fishing by vessels regardless of the flag they fly.

The Chief of Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO's) Development Law Service, Blaise Kuemlangan said, "The Agreement aims to harmonize port controls in order to prevent illegally caught fish from ever entering international markets through ports. The ability to turn away vessels taking part in IUU fishing will greatly reduce opportunities for selling their catch, decreasing IUU fishing worldwide."

FAO Representative in Cabo Verde, Remi Nono Womdim, on his part said, "Fighting illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing is a key priority along the Atlantic coast of Africa, where IUU fishing contributes to overfishing, creating negative effects for the economies of these countries,"

"Many countries in the region have the will to address IUU fishing, but require the most cost-effective tools and an understanding about how these can be implemented at the legal, policy and institutional level," said Womdim.

Cyriacus Nnaji/GEE
 
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