Medidas de Gestao das Pescarias Marinhas e Aquicultura 2019 The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2018 | Page 115

THE STATE OF WORLD FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE 2018
BOX 6
CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PORT
STATE MEASURES AGREEMENT AND COMPLEMENTARY INSTRUMENTS
In 2017, to support developing States (irrespective of
whether they are Parties to the PSMA) in their efforts to
combat IUU fishing, FAO launched a global capacity
development umbrella programme: “Support for the
Implementation of the 2009 Port State Measures
Agreement and Complementary Instruments to Combat
Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing”. This
programme assists States in strengthening their policy
and legal frameworks, institutional setup and enforcement capacity, as well as their monitoring,
control and surveillance systems and operations,
placing them in a better position to combat IUU fishing
effectively. It is being implemented in collaboration
with partners including FAO Members, regional fishery
bodies and other international organizations such as
the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
(UNODC), the International Maritime Organization
(IMO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO).
operate in waters outside the jurisdiction of the
flag State and seek entry into ports of other States.
The agreement provides an opportunity for States
to collaborate and exchange information on
fishing vessels and their activities, which can also
be done through and with RFMOs. It thereby
creates a network that supports port States in
combating IUU fishing, flag States in the control
of their vessels, coastal States in protecting their
fishery resources and market States in ensuring
that products derived from IUU fishing do not
enter their markets. Inspection and compliance
records of fishing vessels compiled through the
information exchange mechanism under the
PSMA could serve as a reliable resource for
inclusion in national risk assessments and could
help States take appropriate action in cases of
non-compliance with national, regional or
international laws and regulations, including the
prohibition or freezing of subsidies by the flag
States concerned. discuss issues concerning PSM A implementation,
including the roles and responsibilities of States,
RFMOs and other international organizations in
implementing the agreement. Stakeholders
outlined a workplan to ensure that the needed
mechanisms would be in place. Recognizing the
importance of access to basic information to fulfil
the requirements of the PSM A, the Parties
proposed the establishment of a global
mechanism to facilitate the exchange and
publication of information as a priorit y. FAO was
tasked to develop this mechanism in consultation
with the Parties. The Parties also outlined a
process for monitoring and reviewing the
implementation of the PSM A, an essential
procedure at this preliminar y stage.
Developing States Parties, constituting the
majority of Parties and the majority of coastal
States globally, are key to ensuring widespread
implementation of the PSMA. Recognition of the
requirements of developing States is paramount,
and Parties emphasized the development of a
framework to support developing States in their
implementation of the agreement. A dedicated
working group is tasked with addressing the
requirements of developing States Parties,
including the administration of required funding
to support capacity development efforts (see Box 6).
The PSM A entered into force in June 2016 with 30
Parties, including the European Union as one
Part y. The momentum has continued to build
even after the PSM A entered into force; as of
5 April 2018, the agreement had 54 Parties
(including the European Union), and numerous
other States had initiated steps to take part,
ensuring that the number of ports for use by IUU
fishing vessels will continue to decrease.
Within a year after the PSM A entered into force,
some notable achievements have already been
made. At the national level, a number of States
made efforts, such as updating relevant
legislation and increasing port inspection
capacit y, to be able to implement the PSM A even
The entering into force of the PSM A, while an
important achievement, was only the beginning
in terms of putting it into action. As requested by
the Parties, a first meeting was held in 2017 to
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