Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing
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FAO concludes its assistance to Cambodia in drafting the new Fisheries Law

07/07/2021

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has concluded its assistance to the Fisheries Administration (FiA) of the Cambodian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) in drafting a new Fisheries Law, which will replace the one in force from 2006.

The drafting of the new Fisheries Law was led by FiA and is under the framework of the Cambodia Programme for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth in the Fisheries Sector: Capture component (CAPFISH-Capture), funded by the European Union.

The draft Fisheries Law is a key target requirement for continued EU support to FiA. The General Director of Fisheries presented the progress of the Fisheries Law to the EU towards the end of last month, during a meeting to review the progress of the implementation of sector policy and progress towards the achievement of the budget support targets of the CAPFish Programme. 

The General Director informed the EU that the fisheries Law was concluded under the FiA and the Technical Working Group on Fisheries composed of all development partners and co-chaired by FiA and the EU.

The new Fisheries Law consists of 16 chapters and 149 articles and is aligned with Cambodia's international commitments. Cambodia became a Party to the FAO Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA), on 6 December 2019.

The new Fisheries Law will now be subject to a process of consultations with other Ministries and stakeholders, including the National Committee for Sub-National Democratic Development, the Council of Juris and the full session of Council of Ministers followed by the National Assembly and the Senate. The Law is expected to be enacted by the King in April 2022.

FAO will continue to support MAFF and FiA in the implementation and enforcement of the new Fisheries Law and in drafting the subsidiary legislation, to be adopted by Sub-Decrees and Proclamations, which will complete the fisheries legal framework of Cambodia.