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The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration with the Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation (BOBP-IGO) held a workshop, in Kochi, India, to support the government to assess the relevance and benefits of the FAO Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA) to India. 

The workshop, held on the 10 – 11 February 2025, raised awareness about the benefits of the FAO PSMA and its requirements to effectively combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and deliberated on the relevance of the PSMA to its fisheries governance framework, the economic, environmental and social opportunities arising from implementing the PSMA, and propose a roadmap highlighting capacity development needs.

More than 40 participants attended the workshop, representing various national and local institutions including the Department of Fisheries, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, port authorities, representatives from coastal states and union territories of India, research organizations and academia, fishers organizations, and community organizations.