Controlling illegal fishing at sea is complex and costly. Instead, many countries have joined forces to sanction vessels engaging in illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing where they land their catch: at the world’s ports.
The more nations that block such fishing vessels from their ports, the higher their operating costs become, as they are forced to motor to less-scrutinised docks to land fish.
Last month, China confirmed its commitment to such efforts when it became a member of the legally binding UN Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA). This treaty requires signatories to inspect foreign fishing vessels, verify registrations and deny entry to those suspected of illegal activity.
The PSMA is the first legally binding international agreement to tackle illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
For one year following its negotiation in 2009, the agreement was open for countries to sign up to. These signatory countries had then to ratify the treaty, by sending a formal document to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and becoming an official party to the treaty. Countries that did not sign up to the PSMA during the one-year period can still become a party to it, but this process is termed “acceding” rather than ratifying. The obligations for both groups are identical.
In June 2016, enough countries had become official parties for the PSMA to come into force.
A UK-led study of 2017 data found 14 of the world’s 15 busiest ports to be in China, based on total number of vessel visits. The country also has one of the world’s largest fishing fleets, according to research published by the UN in 2022. This fisheries footprint makes crucial China’s participation in improving the system being used to address illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Dialogue Earth asked four experts how important China’s PSMA accession is to tackling IUU fishing, and what concrete changes they want to see next.
Elaine Young
International fisheries officer, Pew Charitable Trusts
“China can become a global catalyst in the fight against IUU fishing”
China’s entry into the PSMA could be a major turning point in the fight against illegal fishing, particularly if they extend their vessel oversight to domestic fleet landings in accordance with the PSMA.
Research has shown that China has some of the highest levels of risk in terms of its ability to effectively combat IUU fishing, making it more likely for IUU-caught fish to reach the marketplace, via its processing plants or directly. But by acceding to the PSMA, China has committed to strengthening ports and improving oversight of its fishing vessels.
The significance of this cannot be overstated, especially given the vast size of China’s domestic fleet. More than 99% of visits to Chinese ports are from Chinese vessels. Moving forward, when its vessels return to their home ports, they will be subject to more robust inspections, and this additional check could make a large dent in the global effort against IUU fishing.
Zhou Wei
Oceans project manager, Greenpeace East Asia
“Joining the PSMA is crucial for China’s sustainable transformation”
China is one of the world’s largest fishing, processing, importing and exporting countries, with many ports along its coast. China’s accession has significantly expanded the coverage of the agreement and improved the effectiveness of combating global IUU activities, by preventing illicit catches from landing and circulating through ports.
As a member of the PSMA, China should also cooperate with other member states to ensure that Chinese fishing vessels abide by a port state’s regulatory measures while using foreign ports. We expect China’s move will encourage more non-member states to follow in its footsteps.
While preparing to join the agreement, China has not only gradually strengthened its regulatory capabilities for its ports used by foreign fishing vessels, but also raised the management standards for its domestic fishing ports. That means following the approach of “managing vessels at ports”, by implementing systems requiring vessels entering and exiting ports to declare their catch, gear, etc.; and making them land their catch at designated ports with more enforcement capacity.
Joining the PSMA is crucial for China’s sustainable fisheries transformation. To ensure an effective implementation of the PSMA’s measures, China needs to continue to invest in enhancing its fishery management, cross-departmental law enforcement, and catch traceability.
China can actively cooperate with other member states in strengthening the capacities of implementing the PSMA, by exchanging technological knowledge and experience in law enforcement, etc. The country can also support and encourage more nations to join the PSMA and push for a wider port state supervision network.
Rebecca Kyerewa Essamuah
Senior research and programmes manager, Centre for Maritime Law and Security Africa
“China’s move crystallises its obligation to regulate fishing globally”
The PSMA is a comprehensive approach to solving IUU fishing: no port entry, no market! China’s move on the PSMA crystallises its obligation to regulate fishing vessels and support solutions to IUU fishing globally.
In West Africa, fisheries ensure food security, livelihood support and revenue generation. Its thriving industrial fishing sector has been taken over by foreign-owned or foreign-controlled vessels.
Locally flagged, Chinese vessels are often also registered and licensed in China to benefit from government subsidies. At best, Chinese fleets in other jurisdictions will now be motivated by best practices, although the responsibility of upholding the PSMA is primarily borne by port states [signed up to the agreement].
All six countries of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC) – Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Togo – have joined the PSMA. These countries share fisheries resources, and by sticking together, they seal gaps in the fight against IUU fishing.
I expect China will step up to join in the PSMA efforts to clamp down on IUU fishing. The country’s move will complement regional enforcement strategies and, in the long term, guide practices of Chinese vessels in other jurisdictions.
Milko Mariano
Argentine marine conservation specialist
“We need to see results”
It is positive that China has joined the PSMA. This agreement is one more piece in a series of measures needed to combat IUU fishing. The success of this agreement also depends on new members joining.
The Chinese fishing fleet in Latin America comprises over 700 vessels. Many of them frequent the ports of Montevideo in Uruguay, and several others in Peru, according to data available on Skylight and Global Fishing Watch. Although these two countries are members to the PSMA, the fleet is thought to choose these ports because of the absence of controls, and low costs. Likewise, reports show that the Chinese fleets are now actively looking for new ports in South America that are close to their fishing grounds.
Therefore, the countries in the region that have not yet joined the PSMA, notably Argentina, must do so soon. This will allow them to request information and actions to prevent IUU fishing from the other PSMA members.
We have to wait to see whether China actually complies with this agreement and if this delivers measurable results in the water. Campaigners have questioned the nation’s fulfilment of previous fishing pledges in Latin America, including the effectiveness of its self-imposed squid fishing moratorium. I hope that the story of the PSMA will be different.
