The European Commission has officially identified Cameroon as a non-cooperating country in the fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, issuing the nation a ‘red card’.
Despite previous warnings, Cameroon has not taken adequate measures to prevent and cease such illegal practices, says the Commission, which will now instruct EU member states to refuse fishery products from Cameroon, even if accompanied by catch certificates validated by the country’s authorities.
“We have zero tolerance for IUU fishing and therefore the Commission has acted strongly today by giving Cameroon a red card,” said Virginijus Sinkevičius, Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries.
“We remain ready to continue our dialogue with Cameroon in order to address the threats that IUU fishing poses to the sustainability of fish stocks, coastal communities, food security and the livelihoods of fishers who follow the rules.”
This decision comes under the EU’s IUU Regulation, which ensures that only legally caught fisheries products can enter the EU market.
The move follows persistent and unresolved issues in Cameroon’s fisheries management, as outlined in a February 2021 notification that warned of the country’s potential designation as a non-cooperating nation.
Primary concerns include Cameroon’s failure to effectively control its national fishing fleet and its continued registration of fishing vessels operating outside its waters. Notably, some of these vessels have been implicated in IUU fishing activities, yet there has been insufficient monitoring and corrective action from Cameroonian authorities.
The Commission’s decision is yet to be ratified by the Council of the European Union.
