Parties suggest more awareness raising on the PSMA and global capacity development to combat IUU fishing
©FAO/Alessandra BenedettiParties to the FAO Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA) met on 4 April 2023 at FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy during the Fourth Meeting of the PSMA Part 6 Working Group.
The Part 6 Working Group was established pursuant to Article 21 (6) of the PSMA and it is mandated with reporting and making recommendations to the Parties on the priorities for the use of the funding mechanism as well as the identification of donors to contribute to the funding mechanism.
Funding contributions for capacity development, to assist States to better implement the provisions of the PSMA and complementary international instruments, can be made to the Part 6 multi-donor trust fund, or through contributions towards specific projects. FAO has a global capacity development programme in support of the PSMA, complementary instruments and tools, funded through specific projects.
Manuel Barange, Director of Fisheries and Aquaculture, referred to the good overall progress that States have made over the years to address IUU fishing, achieved also through technical assistance by FAO, regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs), bilateral aid, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), emphasising that “managed fisheries are sustainable fisheries”. Dr Barange mentioned that through funding provided by the donors – the European Union, Germany, Iceland, the Republic of Korea, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the United States of America – more than 50 countries have benefited from FAO assistance, although work is far from complete.
During the Working Group, Parties showed consensus on the need to further raise awareness on the benefits of the PSMA at national, regional, and global levels, and the need to further strengthen global capacities, including on aspects related to information exchange, and new developments that take place in the international scenario.
Parties encouraged FAO to continue taking a leading role in providing training under the Part 6 of the Agreement. Parties also shared the need to promote the exchange of knowledge and experiences at regional levels through the South-South cooperation, and the need for further initiatives of assistance including bi-lateral assistance and other initiatives through RFMOs, NGOs and other specialised and recognized training institutions.
The Fourth Meeting of the Part 6 Working Group was chaired by Benedict Kiilu, Assistant Director of Fisheries, Kenya Fisheries Service, and vice-chaired by Bernice Carol Boupana Bola Epse Igaboughi, Head of the Fisheries Motoring Centre of Gabon.
The Fourth PSMA Part 6 Working Group was held with funding by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the European Union, and Norway.