FAO.org

1-5 September 2025, in Bergen, Norway

Officials from 9 States, the European Union and 3 regional fishery bodies gathered for a meeting in Bergen, Norway, to discuss the coordinated implementation of the FAO Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA) and complementary instruments to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing at regional level.

Topics included information exchange through the PSMA Global Information Exchange System (GIES), flag State responsibilities under the Agreement, and the use of indicators for the monitoring of the implementation of the Agreement.

Mr Frank Bakke-Jensen, Director General for Fisheries Norway addressed the participants at a social event highlighting the importance of sustainable fisheries, and Ms Mette Sørfonden, Deputy Director General for Fisheries Norway, welcomed the participants to Bergen and opened the meeting underscoring the role of PSMA in the fight against IUU fishing. 

Mr Olivier Marc Dion, Chairperson of PSMA, reiterated the importance of working towards a successful 6th Meeting of the Parties, in France in 2027, where the now 84 Parties of the PSMA can make a significant move forward in implementation.

This was the second in a new series of Regional Coordination Meetings (RCMs), organised by the PSMA Secretariat during 2025-26. The outcomes of the RCMs will be shared for consideration by the technical working groups established by the Parties to the PSMA, together with other international fisheries fora including the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI).

This Regional Coordination Meeting held was held under the patronage of the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries.