The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 2023 Report to Congress identifies seven entities for illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
The latest Improving International Fisheries Management report also points out two nations responsible for issues relating to forced labour and two identified for issues related to shark catch.
“Oceana applauds the Biden administration for taking decisive action to fight illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing,” said Beth Lowell, vice president for the US, Oceana, who welcomed the report.
”The United States, for the first time, is identifying countries in the report for both IUU fishing and forced labour. NOAA taking action against countries that fail to follow the rules is one essential tool in the US government toolbox to improve fisheries around the world.”
Problematic fisheries
The 2023 report identifies Angola, Grenada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, The Gambia and Vanuatu as nations and entities participating in IUU fishing.
This year is the first time the report has also identified forced labour and shark catch in IUU fishing identifications.
The biennial report, required under the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act, identifies nations that fail to address IUU fishing, bycatch of marine wildlife, and shark management.
Once identified, the United States collaborates with those nations to address their problematic fisheries issues.
The report now triggers a two-year process for the identified nations to take the necessary steps to address IUU fishing.
If a nation takes appropriate actions, it will receive a positive certification in the next report. If not, it receives a negative certification, triggering a denial of US port privileges, among other measures, including potential import restrictions.
The 2023 report announced certification determinations for 31 nations and entities for illegal fishing and/or bycatch of protected living marine resources from its 2021 report, including positive certifications for Costa Rica, Guyana, Senegal, and Taiwan.
