Stop Illegal Fishing is delighted to have been accepted as an official Observer to the International Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (IMCS) Network. Established to facilitate cooperation to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The IMCS Network has over 70 country members and grants observer status to like-minded institutions that seek to coordinate efforts to end IUU fishing.

Welcoming the news, Stop Illegal Fishing Chairperson, Elsa Patria, commented, “The value of networks has been at the heart of SIF’s work since our formation in 2008. We wholeheartedly support the aims and objectives of the IMCS Network and look forward to building ever stronger connections between our organisations.”

The mission of the IMCS Network is to promote and facilitate cooperation and coordination among Members through information exchange, capacity development and collaboration in order to achieve the improved effectiveness and efficiency of MCS activities.

SIF’s work in supporting national fisheries authorities through investigative support, mentoring, communications, and awareness and by establishing information sharing and collaborative networking opportunities aligns closely with strategic objectives of the IMCS Network. SIF has a long history of cooperation and collaboration with the IMCS Network. In 2010 SIF was a regional partner in the 3^rd Global Fisheries Enforcement Training Workshop (GFETW), held in Maputo, Mozambique.

As a winner of the IMCS Network 2014 Stop IUU Fishing Award Contest, SIF was acknowledged as “being effective in coordinating approaches, influencing policies, building capacity and providing tools and strategies required to tackle illegal fishing at national, regional and international levels.” It was noted that by working in partnership with governments, regional and continental organisations, civil society, MCS practitioners, NGOs, intergovernmental organisations and the fishing industry, Stop Illegal Fishing is uniquely positioned to facilitate actions against illegal fishing.

Gary Orr, Chairperson of the IMCS Network, said, “I look forward to the Network engaging more closely through this new relationship. Through their support to the FISH-i Africa and West Africa Task Forces, SIF has pioneered the model of regional task forces cooperating to stop illegal fishing. We have been excited to see the elaboration of this networking approach in the newly formed African Ports Network and look forward to future collaboration with SIF.”

The first virtual GFETW, scheduled for July 13 and 14, 2021, titled “Uncovering the Unknowns: Global Cooperation to Eliminate “the U’s” in Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing” will provide opportunity for a closer examination of the regional task force approach.