NOAA today announced the release of a “National Five-Year Strategy for Combatting Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing” that includes U.S. priorities and plans to address IUU fishing and promote global maritime security.
Prepared by the U.S. Interagency Working Group on IUU Fishing, the Strategy was developed to support the following objectives:
- Promote sustainable fisheries management and governance
- Enhance the monitoring, control, and surveillance of marine fishing operations
- Ensure only legal, sustainable, and responsibly harvested seafood enters trade
Tier One regions identified as being at the highest priority to address IUU fishing risks include South and Central America (Pacific), the Gulf of Guinea, Southeast Asia (Gulf of Thailand, Java Sea, Banda Sea, Celebes Sea), and the Pacific Islands.
