This document contains the report of the Expert Consultation to Review Port State Measures to Combat Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing which was held at FAO Headquarters, Rome, Italy, from 4 to 6 November 2002. The Expert Consultation was convened by the Director-General of FAO with a view to facilitating the implementation of the 2001 FAO International Plan of Action to Deter, Prevent and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IPOA-IUU). The Expert Consultation also furthered collaboration with the International Maritime Organization (IMO), as called for in paragraph 90 of the IPOA-IUU. The Experts focussed their work on a paper prepared by an FAO consultant Mr Terje Lobach. The paper was entitled “Port State Control of Foreign Fish Vessels” and in so doing the Experts undertook an exhaustive review of port state measures with respect to fishing vessels. The consultant’s paper, inter alia, contained a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on port State measures to combat IUU fishing. The Expert Consultation acknowledged that such regional Memoranda of Understanding could serve as important and effective tools for enhancing responsible fisheries management, and identified appropriate elements that might be included in such regional Memoranda of Understanding. The Expert Consultation recommendations that FAO (i) convene a Technical Consultation addressing principles and guidelines for the establishment of regional Memoranda of Understanding on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing: (ii) elaborate and implement programmes of assistance to facilitate human resource development and institutional strengthening, including legal assistance, in developing countries so as to promote the full and effective implementation of port State measures to combat IUU fishing, and (iii) consider the establishment of a database concerning relevant port State measures.
