Boost for the global fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
Efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing have received a boost from the People's Republic of China, the world’s largest capture fisheries producer, which has become the 108th State to join the FAO Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (PSMA) . The PSMA supports sustainable fisheries by ensuring that only legal, regulated and reported fish catches are landed in ports and eventually traded . It does this by enabling Parties to deny port entry or use of port to foreign vessels suspected of engaging in IUU fishing , thereby preventing catches from such illicit practices from reaching markets and consumers. “China’s accession to the PSMA is a milestone in the global effort towards responsible governance and sustainable development of fisheries,” said QU Dongyu, the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). “This step reflects the growing stro...