FishFORCE, a Fisheries Crime Law Enforcement Academy, established in 2016 and housed at the Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa hosted a specialised Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA) training workshop from 14 – 18 March 2022 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The workshop was offered in conjunction with Stop Illegal Fishing (SIF) whose experts provided training on the core elements of PSMA implementation. Topics covered included capacity building, interagency cooperation, risk assessment and inspection procedures.

The training was targeted at relevant local agencies that are involved in port operations and representatives from nine agencies participated from both Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar, including the Ministry of Fisheries, Deep Sea Fishing Authority, Maritime Authority, Marine Police, Dar es Salaam Maritime Institute, Tanzanian Fisheries Research Institute, Tanzania Revenue Authority, Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation and the Marine Parks and Reserves Authority.

SIF has been actively working to support PSMA implementation through the Port State Measures to Stop Illegal Fishing (PSM-SIF) project. Per Erik Bergh stated, “By working alongside authorities in Ghana, Madagascar and Mozambique we have seen first-hand the challenges faced by fisheries inspectors as they embed new approaches and practices. We have been delighted to share our experiences here in the United Republic of Tanzania. The premise of the PSMA is simple, but making it happen on the ground is complex.”