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This week, 18-22 February, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations is providing technical support to the Costa Rican Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture (INCOPESCA), assisting the country in the initial phases to prepare a national strategy and action plan to strengthen its position to fight illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

This initiative is being carried out under the umbrella of FAO’s global capacity development programme for the implementation of the Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA) to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing, and with the financial support of the European Union. Costa Rica is a Party to the PSMA since December 2015.

The preparation of the strategy and action plan brings together the Government authorities responsible for agriculture and livestock, public works and transport, international commerce, justice, environment and energy as well as the National Coast Guard Service, the General Directorate of Customs, the Costa Rican Institute of Ports of the Pacific and the Administrative Board of the Atlantic Slope.

The meeting is defining challenges in the fight against IUU fishing and main actions required to guarantee the sustainability of fishing. It is establishing procedures to guarantee the adequate implementation of the PSMA and complementary instruments.