| Governments take action on illegal fishing |
|
|
| Written by Staff Reporters | |
|
Namibia will host the 2008 SADC Marine Fisheries Conference aimed at curbing the ever-increasing problems of illegal fishing on 2 to 4 July in Windhoek.
As fish stocks decline and the demand for fish and seafood increases,
illegal fishing and the trade of illegal fish is becoming an
increasingly attractive option for some operators. It is against this
background that governments around the world are working together to
tighten controls on fishing vessels, fishing activities, the
transportation and the trade of fish in an effort to stop illegal
fishing and to better manage their fishery resources.
The conference will address a variety of issues affecting the fishing sector including: Improving national fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS), capability and capacity with a view to eradicating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) fishing; developing a regional MCS strategy, a regional plan of action, collaboration and information sharing to stop illegal fishing; utilising possibilities along the chain of custody of fish and seafood as a means to controlling IUU fishing; and strengthening fisheries governance and legal frameworks to eliminate illegal fishing, and the roles of different stakeholders to stop illegal fishing. It has been estimated that in sub-Saharan Africa illegal fishing accounts for about US$1 billion a year in lost revenue, putting the worldwide value of IUU catches at between US$4 billion and USD 9 billion a year. While about US$1.25 billion comes from the high seas, the remainder is taken from the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of coastal states. |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|