International Day for the fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing

Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing is a global problem that threatens ocean ecosystems and sustainable fisheries. It also threatens our economic security and the natural resources that are critical to global food security, and it puts law-abiding fishermen and seafood producers in the United States and abroad at a disadvantage. The Maritime Security and Fisheries Enforcement (SAFE) Act provides a whole-of-government approach to counter IUU fishing and related threats to maritime security. Section 3551 of the Act requires the establishment of an Interagency Working Group to strengthen maritime security and combat IUU fishing. Combating IUU fishing is a top priority for the United States, and communication, collaboration and strategic coordination will be key in bringing about tangible results. The efforts of the U.S. Interagency Working Group on IUU Fishing now sit at the heart of our government’s coordination on tackling IUU fishing practices and setting the cond...

Combating IUU fishing  requires inter-agency coordination, particularly through the implementation of relevant international agreements. In this context, the FAO-IMO-ILO ad hoc Joint Working Group on IUU fishing and related matters was established as a result of the call made by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, which met in April 1999, highlighting the issue of flag and port State responsibilities and the need for FAO and IMO to cooperate on solving problems relating to IUU fishing.  Following the decision by the Governing Body of the ILO at its 335th session, the ILO also formally joined in 2019. Specifically, the JWG discusses and makes recommendations to address: IUU fishing; Maritime safety and security; Decent work in the fishing sector; Protection of the marine environment; Capacity development; and other relevant topics.