Comparative analysis of regional fisheries management organizations on establishing IUU fishing vessel list conservation and management measures

Abstract:

IUU (Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated) fishing is an issue of concern to the international community, especially in the high seas. Regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) are very well aware of the harm of IUU fishing activities in their convention areas, and have developed IUU fishing vessel list for conservational and managerial measures. This paper focuses on the implementation of conservation and management measures, and analyses IUU fishing definition, and expounds the evolution of IUU fishing vessel list formulated by 13 RFMOs in the world. The paper also makes a systematic comparative analysis of IUU fishing vessel list from two main aspects:IUU fishing vessel list formulation process, and measures taken to reduce IUU by parties and cooperative nonparties. RFMOs have two characteristics in formulating and implementing IUU fishing list:one is to substantially push forward the international community's efforts to combat IUU fishing; and the other is to develop an important cooperative environment for RFMOs to comprehensively combat IUU fishing. However, due to the different interests and positions of the members of RFMOs; the different time and backgrounds of the establishment of RFMOs and the different waters and fisheries under its jurisdiction; there exist the differences in the content and implementation of the conservation and management measures for IUU fishing vessel list, resulting in its limited binding force, insufficient enforcement, and difficulties to evaluate the implementation effect. Therefore, for the conservation and management measures of IUU fishing vessel list to be effective:the necessity to expand the scope of IUU fishing vessel list formulation and implementation must be considered on one hand, while on the other hand, the necessity to strengthen the cooperation between RFMOs in order to eliminate IUU fishing activities must as well be implemented.