FAO.org

Parties to the 2009 FAO Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA)  can now start sharing information through the Global Information Exchange System (GIES), foreseen under the PSMA, which from today is available in its pilot phase.

This firm step forward in Parties’ commitment against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, adds to a series of initiatives under FAO to make it more difficult to place IUU-caught fish into national and international markets.

During the Third Meeting of the Parties, hosted by the European Union earlier in 2021, FAO was given the green light to take the GIES from the initial prototype phase to a pilot phase.

From today, more than half the port States worldwide will be able to exchange information with relevant States, FAO and other entities, on measures and decisions taken over foreign flagged fishing vessels, such as the results of inspections carried out, and denials to vessels asking to enter or use their ports. This exchange of information will assist States in having timely access to certified information, thus being in a better position to close their ports to vessels engaged in IUU fishing or subject them to port inspection.

This pilot phase intends to allow first-hand use of the system to put it to the test in real-life environments prior to its full operationalization, which is expected to occur by the next Meeting of the Parties in 2023.

Support for the development of the PSMA GIES has been provided by the Government of Iceland and the European Union.