Combating Illegal Fishing: GFCM’s Strategic Efforts in the Mediterranean and Black Sea – The General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) is actively tackling Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing in the Mediterranean and Black Sea. This collective effort by countries aims to protect marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of coastal communities. The GFCM ensures strict compliance with these regulations to safeguard the marine environment.
In 2017, the GFCM introduced a Regional Plan of Action to combat IUU fishing (RPOA-IUU), guiding members on effective national plans and harmonizing regional measures. The GFCM-Lex platform, an online multilingual archive of national fishing legislation, supports a unified regulatory approach against IUU fishing.
Albania has taken significant steps in fighting IUU fishing by aligning its national laws with GFCM recommendations and restructuring its sanction system to ensure penalties are proportionate to violations. This commitment enhances the regional strategy to curb illegal fishing activities.
Strengthening regional control and enforcement mechanisms is crucial. The GFCM’s compliance committee is expanding its capacity to deploy more tools across all subregions of the Mediterranean and Black Sea to combat IUU fishing effectively.
The European Union and its Member States have prioritized the fight against IUU fishing.
Over the past decade, numerous tools have been developed to improve the capabilities of Mediterranean countries in combating IUU fishing. The GFCM supports these efforts with various tools, including technology, training programs, and digital solutions like electronic logbooks, which aid inspectors in over 20 countries and enable fish traceability from net to plate.
Turkey has elevated its monitoring, control, and surveillance measures, demonstrating a strong commitment to sustainable fishing. This involves standard ship sighting procedures and a regional fleet registry listing all larger ships authorized to fish in GFCM waters.
Landing state measures require foreign ships to prove they have not engaged in IUU activities before using ports. Since 2016, GFCM Recommendation 40/2016/1 has set minimum standard measures aligned with the Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA). International joint inspection and surveillance programs, such as those targeting mahi-mahi in the Mediterranean and Adriatic, are increasing. The GFCM also maintains a list of ships suspected of IUU fishing.
Morocco has made significant strides in resource sustainability since launching its fisheries strategy in 2009.
This includes a catch certification system and equipping ships longer than 12 meters with VMS. These measures are part of Morocco’s efforts to combat IUU fishing and ensure sustainable fishing practices.
Innovations like catch documentation systems (CDS) for major commercial species are being introduced. In 2023, binding recommendations for a permanent CDS for red coral in the Mediterranean and turbot in the Black Sea were adopted, further tightening regulations against illegal fishing.
The GFCM’s ongoing efforts make illegal fishing operations increasingly difficult. Compliance control aims to prevent the use of prohibited gear and unauthorized fishing products while raising awareness through seminars and collaborations with civil society.
Every year, on June 5, the UN celebrates the International Day for the Fight Against IUU Fishing, emphasizing the importance of global efforts to eradicate IUU fishing. This illegal activity accounts for about 20% of global catches, distorting markets and threatening the sustainability of marine resources.
Strengthening collective efforts to combat IUU fishing is essential for protecting marine ecosystems and ensuring the livelihoods of coastal communities. The GFCM continues to play a pivotal role in this mission, providing tools, guidance, and support to member countries in their fight against IUU fishing.
Combating Illegal Fishing: GFCM’s Strategic Efforts in the Mediterranean and Black Sea
