A framework for conducting a risk assessment for a system on the marking of fishing gear
This document is a supplement to the Voluntary Guidelines on the Marking of Fishing Gear (VGMFG; FAO, 2019), and provides a framework for conducting a risk assessment to assist in determining the need for, and requirements of, a system for the marking of fishing gear. The development of this document was based on principles outlined in the Annex of the VGMFG and guided by the results of a pilot project for risk assessment on the marking of fishing gear conducted in Grenada. The marking of fishing gear contributes to sustainable fisheries, improving the state of the marine and freshwater environments by combatting, minimizing, and eliminating abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG); it also facilitates the identification and recovery of such gear. In addition, fishing gear marking supports fisheries management and can be used as a tool in the identification of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities.This manual is intended to assist fisheries managers, fishing gear manufacturers and the fisheries sector to meet the relevant international, regional or national obligations for gear marking. More specifically, it enables all stakeholders to comply with the specific gear marking requirements outlined in the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, as well as in other international instruments and agreements. Organizations or parties concerned with, or actively addressing the issue of ALDFG may also find the information in this publication useful.
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