Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing is one of the greatest threats to aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity and undermines regional and national efforts to sustainably manage fisheries, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO).
However, global data on the characteristics and magnitude of IUU fishing have not been updated since 2003.
Consequently, FAO convened an Expert Workshop to consider approaches for developing a methodology to estimate IUU fishing globally.
December 2015: Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing is one of the greatest threats to aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity and undermines regional and national efforts to sustainably manage fisheries, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO). However, global data on the characteristics and magnitude of IUU fishing have not been updated since 2003. Consequently, FAO convened an Expert Workshop to consider approaches for developing a methodology to estimate IUU fishing globally.
A report, titled ‘Expert Workshop to Estimate the Magnitude of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing Globally,’ describes the outcomes of this workshop, which convened from 2-4 February 2015 at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.
Expert participants observed that IUU fishing often occurs in areas that lack strong and effective conservation and management measures or in areas where international agreements or national laws are not enforced. They discussed the impact of IUU fishing on fish stocks, aquatic ecosystems and food security and livelihoods. Participants also recognized the importance of generating updated data to motivate advocacy and action and to provide a baseline to monitor implementation of international agreements, such as FAO’s International Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate IUU Fishing (IPOA-IUU). The workshop also discussed challenges in measuring IUU fishing, such as data availability, data gaps on inland fisheries, and whether to develop separate methodologies or datasets for marine and inland data and data-rich and data-poor areas.
Workshop participants agreed that FAO should lead a global assessment of IUU fishing, including through preparation of ‘Technical guidelines to estimate IUU fishing’ and a report, ‘A study of studies on IUU fishing estimation.’ The workshop also suggested FAO consider including IUU fishing indicators in its bi-annual State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA) publications and further consider how the guidelines, study and other actions could be combined to develop a global estimate of IUU fishing.
The guidelines will be developed through a peer review process involving representatives of regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs), regional fishery bodies, the private sector and other stakeholders. The guidelines will be presented to the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) at its 2016 meeting.
The Pew Charitable Trusts provided financial support for the workshop. [Workshop Report] [COFI Website] [SOFIA Website]