WASHINGTON, Nov. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Jeff Wise, director of the Pew Environment Group's Global Campaign to End Illegal Fishing, issued this statement today in response to the Obama Administration's formal transmittal for ratification by the U.S. Senate of the Port States Measures Agreement, a major international treaty to combat pirate fishing.

"A result of the work of the Obama and Bush administrations, this treaty provides a rare opportunity to crack down on illegal fishing and advance the priorities of a wide variety of interests—from conservation to commercial fishing.

"The United States was a leader during the treaty's negotiation and is already one of the world's top enforcers when it comes to combating illegal fishing. The agreement requires other nations to match our efforts by monitoring and stopping the flow of illegal fish through their ports and into commercial markets.

"With 80 percent of global fisheries fully or over-exploited, pirate fishing is devastating healthy ocean ecosystems and hurting responsible fishermen in America and around the world. Representing as much as one-fifth of the globally reported fish catch, illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing steals $23 billion a year from the pockets of hardworking fishermen and their families.

"In light of the fact that Republican and Democratic presidents have worked hard to end illegal fishing, we urge senators on both sides of the aisle to build on that progress by ratifying this treaty."

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