WCPFC represented at Third Regional Workshop on Operationalizing Cooperative Mechanisms to Combat IUU Fishing
Da Nang, Vietnam, April 23 - 25 2024. The Third Regional Workshop on Operationalizing Cooperative Mechanisms to Combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing took place from 23 to 25 April in Da Nang, Viet Nam. The three-day workshop was organized by the U.S. Diplomatic Mission in Vietnam through the Department of Narcotics and International Law Enforcement (INL) and the U.S. Coast Guard, in coordination with Vietnam's Department of Fisheries Surveillance (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development). The workshop gathered over 70 delegates, including international and regional experts in fisheries law enforcement from twelve countries: Australia, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Vietnam. At the opening, Mr. Ryan McKean, Director of INL at the U.S. Embassy, highlighted the global challenge of IUU fishing, emphasizing its threat to the sustainability of fish stocks and the livelihoods of people in Southeast Asia and beyond. He stressed that cooperation should aim to enhance maritime law enforcement and combat IUU fishing effectively, ensuring the protection and sustainable use of marine resources for future generations.
WCPFC Compliance Manager, Dr Lara Manarangi-Trott, participated in the workshop as an invited speaker, to provide an overview of the role of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission in supporting sustainable tuna fisheries in the western and central Pacific Ocean. The discussions focused on available tools, processes, and information to support WCPFC Members and Cooperating Non-Members in their fisheries enforcement activities to combat IUU fishing.
“IUU fishing undermines the very foundation of sustainable fisheries management, threatening marine ecosystems and the livelihoods and food security of communities, particularly in small island developing States and participating territories in the Western Pacific Ocean. This workshop highlighted the crucial roles of coast guard personnel, port inspectors and regional fisheries management organisations such as WCPFC, in combating IUU fishing. By working together, we can forge global partnerships and innovate solutions to eradicate IUU fishing from our oceans”, said Dr. Manarangi-Trott.
The Workshop served as a platform to strengthen the capacity of participating governments and regional partners to counter contemporary maritime challenges, such as IUU Fishing. Other substantive discussion areas included whole-of-government coordination, countering illicit drug trafficking, port security, detecting and combating forced labour on fishing vessels, maritime law enforcement including high seas boarding and inspection activities and best practices to exchange information on maritime threats.
WCPFC’s participation at this workshop complements the multi-year support that WCPFC has provided since 2009 to Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam through the Western Pacific East Asia Improved Monitoring (WPEA-ITM) Project, in support of national and international cooperation for the sustainable management of highly migratory fish stocks in the Western Pacific and East Asia Seas. The Western Pacific and East Asia Seas region is a key fishing area for the WCPFC. In 2022, Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam countries in this region caught about 29.6% of all tunas (758,172 tons) in the WCPO, including 304,157 tons of yellowfin tuna, which was nearly 44% of all yellowfin tuna caught in the WCPO.
For further information, please contact: wcpfc@wcpfc.int
About WCPFC
The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) is one of five global tuna regional fisheries management organizations, responsible for the conservation and sustainable use of highly migratory fish stocks, particularly tuna, in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. Established in 2004, the WCPFC comprises 34 member countries and territories, and seven cooperating-non-members dedicated to promoting the sustainable management of the world’s largest tuna fishery. The WCPFC Secretariat is headquartered in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia.
The objective of the Western Pacific East Asia Improved Tuna Monitoring (WPEA-ITM) Project is to build capacity in Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam to fully engage in regional initiatives to conserve and manage fisheries for highly migratory fish stocks. The Project is currently supported by the New Zealand Government, and extension of support for the Project for four years was announced at the end of 2023.