At the official opening of the 5th Global Fisheries Enforcement Training Workshop today there was general agreement that the key to stopping illegal fishing globally is through international cooperation and sharing of information by monitoring, control and surveillance practitioners around the globe.
No nation is immune to illegal fishing activities. We must all work together whether that be at bilateral, regional or international frameworks to target and eliminate what is internationally recognised as environmental crime, according to Martyn Dunne, Director-General for host New Zealand’s Ministry of Primary Industries.
He singled out the International Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Network as the collective platform that can deliver the intent of unity of purpose to deter and eradicate the IUU threats to our oceans.
He believes that to stamp out illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, the workshop (GFETW) needs to look at adopting the following five principles:
1. Acknowledge its existence (IUU illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing)
2. Create and maintain unity of purpose in targeting offenders
3. Share information, intelligence and resources
4. Have the ongoing resolve to collectively bring in perpetrators to account before the courts, and
5. Effective control of nationals
Critical information
Through the five principles, Dunne believes the MCS international network has the influence to harness the power of intelligence and frameworks necessary to share critical information that would lead to the eradication of IUU fishing.
He points to a number of case studies that will be discussed during the week-long workshop showcasing the effectiveness of such a collective approach.
The case study regarding international efforts targeting IUU 3. Share information, intelligence and resources
4. Have the ongoing resolve to collectively bring in perpetrators to account before the courts, and
5. Effective control of nationals
Critical information
Through the five principles, Dunne believes the MCS international network has the influence to harness the power of intelligence and frameworks necessary to share critical information that would lead to the eradication of IUU fishing.
He points to a number of case studies that will be discussed during the week-long workshop showcasing the effectiveness of such a collective approach.
The case study regarding international efforts targeting IUU.
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