Русский
NorskInternational agreement to intensify the work against IUU fishing
IUU fishing has been identified as a major threat to fisheries conservation and marine biodiversity. It can lead to a collapse of a fishery, which in turn may cause adverse consequences for the livelihood of people depending on it.
IUU fishing occurs both within areas under national jurisdiction and on the high seas. Despite the efforts by global organisations, regional bodies and States, IUU fishing continues to persist and is in fact increasing in some areas. Fighting this phenomenon is of the highest priority to Norway, and Norway has been a primus motor and a very active contributor both in global and regional bodies.
The failure of States to effectively control the fishing operations of vessels flying their flags is the core of the problem of IUU fishing. Reliance on the implementation of flag State duties to prevent IUU fishing has proved to be insufficient, and enhanced port State control is thus crucial in combating IUU fishing.
Consequently Norway has been advocating the establishment of regional schemes on port control, as well as taken the initiative of developing a global, binding instrument, foreseen to being adopted by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 2009.
In order to address the problem of IUU fishing, some regional fisheries management organisations blacklist IUU-vessels. These schemes imply that procedures are agreed upon for the establishment and maintenance of lists of fishing vessels (IUU Vessel list) found to have engaged in fishing activities in a manner, which has diminished the effectiveness of conservation and management measures.
Agreement has been reached on a number of appropriate domestic actions against vessels appearing on the IUU Vessel list, such as the refusal of the granting of their flag and not authorizing landing or transhipment in ports. The problem is, however, that IUU-vessels might be allowed into legitimate fishing in the simply by changing the flag and/or ownership.
Norway is continuously arguing that the IUU-vessel itself (the physical vessel) shall be denied such rights also when operated by others than those who participated in the fishing. The Norwegian approach implies that all blacklisted vessels are perpetually prohibited from fishing in the Norwegian EEZ and will not be entitled to fly the Norwegian flag, irrespective of changes in ownership.
Norway is of course also in favour of other means of combating IUU fishing, such as mandatory use of vessel monitoring systems (VMS), improved and more comprehensive reporting requirements, trade- and marked related measures in accordance with WTO regulations as well as increased focus on the responsibility of nationals involved in IUU fishing.