Rome, Italy – 11/23/2009 – The Pew Environment Group today welcomed an announcement by the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization that the new treaty to address illegal fishing is open for signature and called on governments to ratify and implement this treaty.
Officially known as the Agreement of Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing, the treaty specifies minimum standards for inspection and provides port States with the obligation to prohibit entry to illegal fishing vessels.
“Governments must immediately start to crack down on illegal fishing and refuse port entry to those responsible,” said Stefan Flothmann, director of International Ocean Governance at the Pew Environment Group. “Ratifying and implementing the treaty is critical to end illegal fishing.”