The Expert Consultation was convened with a view to facilitating the implementation of the 2001 FAO International Plan of Action to Deter, Prevent and Eliminate Illgal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IPOA-IUU). The Expert Consultation also furthered collaboration with the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and undertook an exhaustive review of port state measures with respect to fishing vessels.

The objectives of the Technical Consultation were to address substantive issues relating to the role of the port State in combating Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing and to address principles and guidelines for the establishment of regional memoranda on port States measures to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing. Following its deliberations, the Technical Consultation approved a Model Scheme on Port State Measures to Combat IUU Fishing, strongly supported the proposed Programme of Assistance to facilitate human development and institutional strengthening in developing countries to promote the full and effective implementation of port States measures to combat IUU fishing, and supported the establishment of a database concerning relevant port State measures.

The purpose of the consultation was to prepare a draft text of a legally-binding instrument on port state measures, based on the 2001 FAO International Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing and the 2005 FAO Model Scheme on Port State Measures to Combat Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing. On the basis of an initial draft, a draft agreement was produced that will be submitted for consideration and review by the Technical Consultation on Port State Measures to be held in June 2008.--Publisher's description.

FAO is supporting the implementation of the 2005 FAO Model Schemes on Port State Measures to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, including at regional level. The main objective of the workshop was to consider GFCM Member's coordinated efforts regarding the strengthening and the harmonization of port State measures in the near future and, as a result, build on the requirements of the general guidelines for a GFCM control and enforcement scheme.

The Technical Consultation made major recommendations on how to strengthen international cooperation on managing fishing capacity and combating IUU fishing. It also asked FAO to undertake a series of actions to facilitate effective and full implementation of these two IPOAs. Noting in particular and ongoing build-up of capacity in tuna fisheries in the western and central Pacific Ocean, the Technical Consultation suggested that governments in the region should lend priority attention to addressing the situation, including halting introductions of additional large-scale fishing vessels.

The Expert Consultation was convened by FAO with a view to facilitating the implementation of the 2001 FAO International Plan of Action to Deter, Prevent and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IPOA-IUU). Experts for this Consultation were selected because of their experience with open registries and in the field of fisheries. The Experts focused on the effects of IUU fishing on global fishery resources and on lessons that might be learned from the experiences of flag states that have already implemented tighter control over the activities of their fishing vessels. Background papers and three case studies from selected open registry countries were presented.--Publisher's description.

This book gathers the proceedings of an OECD Workshop that took place in April 2004 in Paris, on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing -- a worldwide problem which is increasing in scale.