Gap analysis: comparing CCAMLR’s port state measures with those in the FAO Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing

ASOC is submitting for the consideration of the Commission and of the Standing Committee on Implementation and Compliance (SCIC) the preliminary results of research conducted by the Pew Environment Group (PEG) to compare the port State measures established by ten Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) with the port State measures established by the FAO Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA). Preliminary findings of this research indicate that the port State measures of these RFMOs cannot yet compare with the PSMA standards: they are not sufficiently comprehensive to cover all IUU fishing activity; they are not effective enough in deterring the activities of IUU operators; and they do not establish adequate requirements to ensure proper transparency and information sharing among all concerned actors. CCAMLR, despite having a number of effective port State measures, needs to improve its regime. In particular, it should strengthen its provisions currently applicable to toothfish vessels by prohibiting any form of port use, including services, to any IUU vessel, and extending these provisions to vessels engaged in other fisheries. It is important that CCAMLR aligns its measures with those of the PSMA and encourages its members to expeditiously sign and ratify the agreement, in order to address difficulties of comparability of current port schemes, avoid unnecessary difficulties for complying operators and prevent gaps at the global level. The document attached presents preliminary findings from this gap analysis for CCAMLR, based on publicly available information up to 31 July 2010. PEG will publish a final report with information on all researched RFMOs in early 2011. PEG and ASOC welcome any information from CCAMLR, its Members and observers, which verifies, supplements or contradicts information presented in this preliminary report.