Fiji’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Ambas­sador Deo Saran has deposited the instrument of ac­cession to the Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA) at the Food and Agriculture Organisation.

This means that Fiji has committed before the interna­tional body to comply with the international legal stand­ards on combating Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing.

The PSMA is the first binding international agreement aimed at combating illegal fishing.

Its objective is to prevent, deter and eliminate Illegal, Un­regulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing by preventing ves­sels engaged in IUU fishing from using ports and landing their catches.

In this way, the PSMA reduces the incentive of such ves­sels to continue to operate while it also blocks fishery prod­ucts derived from IUU fishing from reaching national, re­gional and international markets.

The effective implementation of the PSMA ultimately contributes to the long-term conservation and sustainable use of living marine resources and marine ecosystems.

The provisions of the PSMA apply to fishing vessels seek­ing entry into a designated port of a State, which is differ­ent to their flag State.

In depositing the instrument on behalf of the Fijian Gov­ernment at a ceremony held at the FAO headquarters in Rome, Ambassador Saran said that IUU fishing in the Pa­cific region “has a range of negative environmental, eco­nomic and social consequences, including threats posted on the Fijian fishing communities.”

Ambassador Saran highlighted that the Agreement marks a new chapter in Fiji’s own history as it further commits Fiji to international fisheries governance and reinforces Fiji’s reputation as a responsible fishing State.

Source: DEPTFO News