Fichier mondial des navires de pêche, des navires de transport frigorifique et des navires de ravitaillement

Unprecedented step towards transparency: Some of the World’s largest long distance fleets added to the FAO Global Record

© Ernesto Benavides / FAO
11/06/2019

Since the latest Global Record Working Group meeting held in Seoul, Korea on 13-14 May 2019, some of the world’s most significant long distance fishing fleets have joined the Global Record of Fishing Vessels, Refrigerated Transport Vessels and Supply Vessels (Global Record) initiative.

In recent weeks, Australia, China, Indonesia and New Zealand have uploaded information on their fleets into the system in an effort to increase transparency on the identity of the vessels that are legitimately licensed to operate in distant waters under their flags.

Such transparency greatly facilitates the curbing of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, by allowing fisheries, coastguard or port authorities all over the world to identify and verify information on vessels involved in fishing activities in their waters, or landing fisheries products in their ports. 

The demonstrated increase in commitment by Asian and Pacific countries to the Global Record, which is recognized as one of the most important tools to support the implementation of the Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA), is a significant step towards ending IUU fishing, and thus contributes significantly to achieving the Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 14.

A prerequisite to uploading information into the Global Record is that each vessel must have a unique International Maritime Authority (IMO) number, which remains with, and identifies, a vessel for life.

Currently the Global Record contains information on more than one third of the world’s fishing vessels and vessels engaged in fishing activities that possess IMO numbers (in total, 10 411 units), from 58 participating States.  

The Global Record gathers and disseminates official and certified information on vessels used for fishing and fishing-related activities through a single access point, and is supported by the kind financial support of the European Union, Iceland, Korea, Spain, Sweden and the United States of America. All stakeholders and the general public can access the information contained within the Global Record Information System by clicking here.  

 The Global Record Team encourages participation of all FAO Member States in the initiative. To start participating, please contact: [email protected].