港口国措施协定(PSMA)

MCS Review mission to Jamaica

© FAO
06/12/2019

A team from FAO and the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) conducted a mission to Jamaica from 4 to 8 November 2019.

The experts worked with the recently established National Fisheries Authority (NFA) on effective ways to strengthen national systems of monitoring, control, surveillance (MCS) and enforcement to combat Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The mission assessed roles and responsibilities of competent authorities responsible for fisheries MCS and evaluated the current modes of interagency information-sharing and cooperation.

The team took stock of current procedures relevant for fisheries MCS of foreign flagged and domestic fleets with a particular emphasis of port State measures. The mission members also visited a number of ports and wharves.

The team proposed key recommendations for the establishment of a comprehensive and effective MCS system under the leadership of the NFA.

NFA’s senior staff demonstrated high level of commitment and engagement, which, along with the plans to significantly develop fisheries MCS and enforcement capacity in NFA’s new compliance branch, and the good cooperation between the competent agencies, provide an excellent basis for strengthening Jamaica’s MCS systems.

The mission was the second activity for Jamaica under the USA financed technical assistance project (GCP/RLA/222/USA) aiming at stepping up assistance to developing countries and Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) in the implementation of the Agreement on Port State Measures, complementary international instruments and regional mechanisms to combat IUU fishing in the Caribbean.