港口国措施协定(PSMA)

Successful FAO mission in the Philippines to assist the country in combatting IUU fishing

©FAO/VJ Villafranca
29/08/2022

A 10-day mission by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to the Republic of the Philippines was successful in achieving its objectives, including a strong re-engagement and cooperation with the Philippines, following the interruption due to the pandemic, as well as the identification of additional areas of technical assistance to continue strengthening the country’s capacities in combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The mission, carried out under the Work Plan of assistance designed to assist the country in the implementation of the 2009 FAO Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA) and complementary instruments to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing, was funded by the Republic of Korea under the project GCP/INT/330/ROK.

The mission was organised in coordination with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), under the Department of Agriculture of the Philippines, the leading agency in the implementation of the PSMA in the country.

Working sessions were held in Quezon City with the relevant divisions of BFAR and the competent agencies involved in the implementation of the PSMA, to address the following objectives of the mission: policy and legal review of the relevant instruments to combat IUU fishing, including the Fisheries Code; Inter-agency coordination and cooperation mechanisms to align with the PSMA; monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) operations, procedures and capacities; and Catch Documentation Schemes.

In Manila, the team also visited the Coast Guard, considering its role in Port State Controls of maritime vessels, and the National Coast Watch Center which is key in maritime domain awareness. A visit was made to the Navotas Fishing Port Complex which is currently being upgraded, considering the possibility that this may become a designated port in the future.

To assess the implementation of Port State Measures in the field, the FAO team visited the designated port of General Santos, the tuna capital of the Philippines, and met with the members of One Stop Action Centre (OSAC), an interagency mechanism of cooperation to streamline and expedite procedures on foreign vessels. A demonstration of an inspection was carried out on a foreign flagged carrier vessel, involving the members of OSAC. Furthermore, visits were made to a cold storage facility and a canning factory, both of which are certified for export to international markets.

The mission was an opportunity for more effective face-to-face discussions on the agreed work plan and the next steps to be taken. As a first priority, FAO will provide assistance in strengthening the interagency coordination mechanism in place  for the implementation of the PSMA, as well as accompanying standard operating procedures to be followed up with specific training.