PSMA seminar held in Cuba this week
The FAO’s Agreement on Port State Measures to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (PSMA) was the subject of a seminar held in Havana, Cuba, this week. The seminar was organised under the “Agreement on Port State Measures Implementation Support Project”, funded by the Republic of Korea.
The event was held to increase knowledge of the international and regional frameworks for the implementation of the Agreement; review existing policies, legislation, institutional structures, and monitoring, control and surveillance systems and operations, and to help define appropriate measures for the introduction of coherent provisions and procedures to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
The event saw the participation of Midalys Naranjo Blanco, Vice Minister of the Ministry of the Food Industry of Cuba (MINAL), Matthew Camilleri and Alicia Mosteiro, from the Global and Regional Processes Team of the FAO’s Fisheries and Aquaculture Division, as well as members of the National Office of State Inspection of MINAL, the Centre of Fisheries Investigations and other authorities linked to fisheries management and maritime transport responsible for the prevention, deterrence and elimination of IUU fishing.
Speaking at the opening of the seminar, the Vice Minister referred to the global application of the PSMA, together with a better performance of flag States, backed by effective monitoring, control and surveillance, as measures to reinforce international activities to reduce IUU fishing, and the strengthening of fisheries management and governance at all levels. The Vice Minister also appreciated the technical assistance provided by FAO to help States improve capacities in the effective application of the provisions of the PSMA, with the aim of increasing knowledge of international and regional frameworks for its implementation.
Alicia Mosteiro, FAO Fisheries Officer, emphasized that these actions give continuity to the technical assistance work developed by FAO, within which other training activities and other initiatives are planned.