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CCAMLR builds awareness and capacity in Africa on how to combat IUU Fishing and illegal trade of Patagonian Toothfish

In 1982 the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) came into force with the responsibility to manage commercial harvesting and conserve marine living resources in the Southern Ocean.

One fishery which has gained increasing commercial interest due to its high market value is the Patagonian toothfish fishery. This has tempted a significant number of international operators to work outside regulatory measures enforced by CCAMLR, leading to an increase in Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing in the CCAMLR convention area. There are indications that operators of IUU vessels are targeting African States to obtain flags and port services prior to engaging in IUU fishing activities across the Southern Ocean.   As a response CCAMLR is arranging training workshops to increase awareness of the problem, one of which was to convene a Capacity Building Training Workshop in Africa to help combat IUU fishing in the CCAMLR Convention Area.

Through collaboration with the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA), the UK Government, the South African Government and the Stop Illegal Fishing Programme, CCAMLR organised a Capacity Building Training Workshop in Cape Town from the 3rd till the 6th of August 2010. Fishery policy officers and fishery enforcement officers from 12 countries across Africa participated, including from (Benin, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, and Togo). The objective of the workshop was to help build awareness, capacity and expertise to overcome the challenges and obstacles faced in dealing with IUU vessels, and to create a network of key stakeholders based in Africa with the authority and expertise to support CCAMLR in preventing trade of illegal Toothfish in the Southern Ocean.
The main themes that were presented and discussed included;

  • CCAMLR’s involvement in the fight  against IUU fishing (in particular with regard to Patagonian Toothfish) and its Catch Documentation Scheme (CDS);
  • The challenges faced by African Nations in the fight against IUU fishing;
  • Why African flag and port states are targeted by IUU fishing vessels; and
  • An overview of the UN Port State Measures Agreement and the benefits countries may gain from acceding to this new legal instrument soon to come into force.

In relation to these themes, participants noted that the key learning points from the workshop involved;

  • The need for improved information sharing amongst national stakeholders (agencies/departments/industry, etc.);
  • The need to improve collaboration amongst neighboring African states and to build better networks of communication;
  • The need to improve regional/international collaboration, communication and information-sharing
  • The need to improve observer and inspector training;
  • Participants learned about the benefits of PSMA ratification and implementation, hopefully contributing towards building momentum for nations to sign and ratify the PSMA;
  • Inspiration was gained to follow South Africa’s approach to partial outsourcing of enforcement  activities; and
  • Participants gaining knowledge and better understanding with regard to CCAMLR, the importance of regional cooperation and information exchange, and why African states are being targeted by IUU fishing operators. It was noted that this type of workshop is key to create awareness and to distribute information related to international processes.

The workshop was concluded with a visit at the Cape Town harbor, where participants took part in an inspection on board a tuna fishing vessel lead by South African enforcement officers. Additionally, a visit was made to the South African patrol vessel Sarah Baartman.

Stop Illegal Fishing is pleased to be a partner to CCAMLR and will continue to support the Secretariat and African nations in the work towards preventing the trade of illegal Toothfish out of African ports as well as combating IUU fishing in the Southern Ocean.