Press Release Archives - Capfish

WMU Contributes to FAO-IMO-ILO ad hoc Joint Working Group on IUU Fishing and Related Matters

admin — Thu, 11 Jan 2024 10:45:05 +0000

At the fifth meeting of the FAO-IMO-ILO ad hoc Joint Working Group (JWG) on IUU Fishing and Related Matters, held in Geneva from 8-12 January, the World Maritime University (WMU) introduced a document on the CAPFISH project highlighting the success of interdisciplinary capacity-building on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The CAPFISH document introduced at the JWG summarizes the educational activities delivered by WMU and Korea Maritime Institute (KMI) with funding provided by the Republic of Korea. Additionally, the document stresses the participation of fisheries, and maritime administration and enforcement agencies from developing countries, and praises interagency cooperation and interdisciplinary approaches to address IUU fishing and enhance fisheries management.

It is of note that many of the delegates at the meeting have attended the CAPFISH workshops or are WMU alumni. The JWG Chairman, Mr. Awudu Enusah, is also a WMU alumnus from the Class of 2012 and currently serves as the Principal Maritime Administrative Officer for the Ghana Maritime Authority.

About the CAPFISH Project

CAPFISH draws upon global expertise in fisheries, such as the United Nations Agencies directly involved in the fishing sector (FAO, ILO, and IMO), non-governmental organizations, and experts across the world, to create a unique opportunity for transformative education to help solve the problem of IUU fishing. It is a trans-disciplinary initiative that integrates science, economics, maritime policy and ocean governance, law and regulation, maritime technology and operation, safety at sea, societal factors, human rights, and compliance monitoring and enforcement. Through three educational workshops and a WMU Summer Academy offering, the CAPFISH Project has disseminated the expertise of the UN specialized agencies as well as incorporated academic and practical knowledge to maritime professionals from across the developing world. CAPFISH aligns SDG-17 (Partnerships for the Goals) with SDG 4 (Quality Education) to address the problem that IUU fishing presents for achieving SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

About the FAO-IMO-ILO ad hoc Join Working Group on IUU Fishing and Related Matters

Combating IUU fishing, along with other illicit factors associated with fishing operations, requires inter-agency coordination, particularly through the implementation of relevant international agreements. The FAO-IMO-ILO ad hoc Joint Working Group (JWG) on IUU fishing and related matters was established as a result of the call made by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, which met in April 1999, highlighting the issue of flag and port State responsibilities and the need for Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to cooperate on solving problems relating to IUU fishing. Following the decision by the Governing Body of the International Labour Organization (ILO) at its 335th session, the ILO also formally joined in 2019. The JWG discusses and makes recommendations to address IUU fishing, maritime safety and security, decent work in the fishing sector, protection of the marine environment, capacity development, and other relevant topics.

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Mediterranean Summer Academy on IUU Fishing Delivered by the WMU CAPFISH Project

admin — Mon, 04 Sep 2023 10:51:32 +0000

From 14-25 August, the World Maritime University (WMU) hosted a Summer Academy on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing as part of the CAPFISH research project sponsored by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) of the Republic of Korea and delivered in cooperation with the Korea Maritime Institute (KMI). The Mediterranean focused, two-week programme covered a number of topics related to IUU fishing and fisheries more broadly, in order to raise awareness of global and regional problems as well as tools available to address them.

Professor Max Mejia, WMU President, welcomed the participants by noting that IUU fishing is one of the biggest ocean and maritime challenges saying, “Not only does it have far-reaching economic consequences, it is also associated with labour abuses, including slavery-like conditions and other human rights infringements, organized crime, environmental degradation, and security and socioeconomic challenges. As IUU fishing is a complex and difficult problem, cooperation and collaboration are necessary to address it effectively.”

During its first two years, the CAPFISH Project ran four global workshops aimed at building capacity in developing regions. These workshops reached over 100 practitioners in maritime and ocean administrations across the developing world. To better facilitate regional cooperation to address IUU fishing, CAPFISH has now moved into a new phase and will offer programmes in different developing regions, beginning with this first Mediterranean-focused Summer Academy that included 23 practitioners from fisheries administrations across the Mediterranean including Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Lebanon, Türkiye, Albania and Montenegro. The Project team worked closely with the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) to deliver the Summer Academy with GFCM providing invaluable expertise and assistance on regional matters, and assistance in identifying delegates as well as securing their in-person participation.

Through case studies, panels, and interactive sessions, participants had the opportunity to engage with each other, highlight local and regional issues, and consider solutions to local problems. Experts from the FAO, UN DOALOS, UNODC, GFCM, the National Institute of Fisheries Science in Korea, the Korea Coast Guard, and academia delivered a series of presentations on blue economy, international and regional fisheries governance, IUU fishing and other maritime crimes, small-scale fisheries, labour and safety on fishing vessels, trade in fish, and cooperation to fight IUU fishing. Interactive activities included surveys, vessel tracking exercises with Global Fishing Watch, the creation of a roadmap to improve safety in the region, a visit to the SEA-U Marine Science Centre, and presentations by delegates on IUU fishing and cooperation at regional and sub-regional level. The delegates also participated in a role-playing exercise developed by the Pew Charitable Trusts, in which they took the role of either fishers or coast guard and developed policy solutions to problems identified during the course of the exercise. It was an important learning experience, as the delegates could see the effects of their policy decisions play out in real time.

The Summer Academy closed with remarks from Dr Miguel Bernal, the Executive Secretary of GFCM saying, “We all have a responsibility to work together towards the eradication of illegal fishing; if we are able to efficiently implement some of the ideas that have been discussed during this course, we would make big advances in this direction and leave the sector in a better situation for future generations.”

As a trans-disciplinary initiative, the CAPFISH Project surfaces knowledge and breaks silos to provide a comprehensive picture of IUU fishing to identify adequate responses. CAPFISH aligns SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) with SDG 4 (Quality Education) to address the problem that IUU fishing presents for achieving SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

To access the programme from the Mediterranean Summer Academy, click here.

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Third IUU Fishing CAPFISH Workshop Delivered by WMU

admin — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 10:35:17 +0000

From 18-21 October, the World Maritime University (WMU) hosted the third workshop on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing as part of the CAPFISH research project sponsored by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) of the Republic of Korea and delivered in cooperation with the Korea Maritime Institute (KMI). The hybrid workshop included a broad spectrum of presentations from high-level IUU Fishing experts to tackle the complex and multifaceted issue. Participants included maritime and ocean professionals from 20 countries.

In welcoming the participants, Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, President of WMU, said, “IUU fishing continues to remain one of the biggest ocean and maritime challenges of our time and is a scourge from which the world needs to rid itself.” She confirmed WMU’s commitment to vitally important capacity-building and education drive to raise awareness and find integrative solutions to the problem.

The workshop was the third in a series intended to disseminate the expertise of United Nations specialized agencies and included expert speakers from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Additional speakers included the Chairperson of the IMO Council, representatives from the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), St. Andrews University, Global Fishing Watch, Trygg Mat Tracking (TMT), the Guyana Fisheries Department, the Senegalese Maritime Administration (ANAM), the Ship Standard Bureau of Thailand, the Korea Coast Guard, the Maritime Authority of Peru, and the Korea Maritime Institute (KMI), and independent experts from Fiji and Iceland.

Experts from the Republic of Korea, Peru, Thailand, Senegal, Guyana and Fiji presented case studies on the response to IUU fishing in their countries. Interactive presentations and panel sessions addressing collaboration by the UN Agencies through the Joint Working Group on IUU Fishing and related matters, implementation of international instruments to tackle IUU fishing, fisheries subsidies, small-scale fishing, and maritime crime, provided important messages on the realities and economic drivers of IUU fishing, as well as international cooperative efforts to address this problem.

The workshop also provided the opportunity for current students in the Class of 2022 to present their dissertation research focused on implementation of the FAO Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA) in the Philippines, and catch documentation schemes and fisheries co-management in Ghana.

As a trans-disciplinary initiative, CAPFISH intends to break silos and provide a comprehensive picture of IUU fishing to identify adequate responses. CAPFISH aligns SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) with SDG 4 (Quality Education) to address the problem that IUU fishing presents for achieving SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

To access the report from CAPFISH Workshop 1, click here
To access the programme from Workshop 2, click here

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Second IUU fishing CAPFISH workshop delivered by WMU

admin — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 12:56:00 +0000

From 15-18 February, the World Maritime University (WMU) hosted the second workshop on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing as part of the CAPFISH research project sponsored by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) of the Republic of Korea and delivered in cooperation with the Korea Maritime Institute (KMI). The workshop included a broad spectrum of presentations from high level IUU Fishing experts to tackle the complex and multi-faceted issue. This second workshop was delivered to professionals from 19 countries and was framed similarly to the first CAPFISH workshop that was delivered in October to WMU students from 19 countries.

In opening remarks for the workshop, Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, President of WMU, said, “IUU fishing continues to remain one of the biggest ocean and maritime challenges of our time and is a scourge from which the world needs to rid itself. It is not just an environmental problem but also has serious human and national security implications.” She noted the complexity of the IUU fishing problem, from the devastating effects on fishers and fishing communities to the social challenges that IUU fishing creates – including poverty and food insecurity, a rise in crimes such as piracy and armed robbery at sea, drug, arms and human trafficking, and forced labour and poor working conditions.

Mr. Hyuntae Kim, Director-General of MOF, addressed the participants, saying “IUU fishing destroys marine ecosystems and, therefore, must be dealt with through global cooperation.” He highlighted the importance of the workshop in providing the opportunity for cooperation and communication among developing nations, international organizations, and experts from around the world to combat IUU fishing.

In his welcome remarks, Dr. Jongdeog Kim, President of KMI, noted the far-reaching economic, social and environmental consequences of IUU fishing. He expressed his hope that the workshops and related educational materials, such as the report from Workshop 1, will contribute to developing a pool of future global maritime and fisheries talent and be effectively used to develop capacity in developing countries to combat IUU fishing.

A range of high-level speakers joined the workshop virtually as well as in person, providing a unique opportunity for transformative education to help solve the problem of IUU fishing. The workshop was the second in a series that will disseminate the expertise of United Nations specialized agencies and experts, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). In addition to the UN Agencies, speakers included representatives from the Argentinian Coast Guard, Spain’s Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, University of British Columbia, University of Sierra Leone, St. Andrews University, University of Vigo, the Korea Maritime Institute, The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Korea Fisheries Monitoring Center, Global Fishing Watch, TMT, and independent experts from Canada, Iceland, Jamaica and New Zealand. Participants learned about how IUU fishing creates social, environmental and economic problems in the Caribbean, the South Atlantic, West Africa and the South Pacific. Regional collaboration was a major theme as it is crucial, particularly for developing countries, to pool resources and information to fight IUU fishing.

The combined perspectives are all key to building the knowledge of the participants, that included professionals from Belize, Côte d’Ivoire, Fiji, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Liberia, Maldives, Mexico, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, Somalia and Vietnam.

As a trans-disciplinary initiative, CAPFISH integrates science, economics, maritime policy and ocean governance, law and regulation, maritime technology and operation, safety at sea, societal factors, human rights, and compliance monitoring and enforcement. CAPFISH aligns SDG-17 (Partnerships for the Goals) with SDG 4 (Quality Education) to address the problem that IUU fishing presents for achieving SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

To access the report from CAPFISH Workshop 1, click here.
To access the programme from Workshop 2, click here.

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CAPFISH project educates WMU students about IUU fishing

admin — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 08:15:00 +0000

From 19-22 October, World Maritime University (WMU) students from 19 countries had the opportunity to attend an engaging workshop held at WMU on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. As part of the CAPFISH research project sponsored by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) of the Republic of Korea and delivered in cooperation with the Korea Maritime Institute, the workshop included a broad spectrum of presentations from high level IUU fishing experts to tackle the complex and multi-faceted issue.

In opening remarks for the workshop, Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, President of WMU, noted that IUU fishing is one of the biggest ocean and maritime challenges with an estimated cost to the global economy of approximately 20 billion dollars a year, with most of that being lost from the economies of the developing world. She highlighted that it is not just an economic problem, and that IUU fishing is associated with labour abuses, including slavery-like conditions and other human rights infringements, organized crime, environmental degradation and socioeconomic challenges. “WMU has embarked on a vitally important capacity-building and education drive to raise awareness and find integrative solutions to the IUU challenge. It is a scourge from which the world needs to rid itself,” she said.

Mr Dongsik Woo, Director-General of MOF, addressed the participants and highlighted efforts of the Republic of Korea to tackle IUU fishing that include legal avenues to punish violators, a levy scheme to recover illegal profits, strengthening supervision and monitoring of IUU fishing through vessel monitoring systems (VMS), and port state control (PSC) inspections. He expressed that MOF was pleased to share their technology and experience through the workshop to build global capacity in the effort to eradicate IUU fishing. “Only when countries around the world work together to prevent and eradicate IUU fishing, can we protect the marine ecosystem and manage fishery resources for sustainable fisheries,” he said.

A range of high-level speakers joined the workshop virtually as well as in person, providing a unique opportunity for transformative education to help solve the problem of IUU fishing. The workshop was the first in a series that will disseminate the expertise of United Nations specialized agencies and experts, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). In addition to the UN Agencies, speakers included representatives from DG MARE European Commission, the Jamaica Defense Force, the Argentinian Coast Guard, University of British Columbia, University of Sierra Leone, St. Andrews University, Korea Maritime Institute, Pew Charitable Trusts, the Korea Fisheries Monitoring Center, and independent experts from Iceland and New Zealand. Students learned about how IUU fishing creates social, environmental and economic problems in the Caribbean, the South Atlantic, West Africa and the South Pacific. Regional collaboration was a major theme as it is crucial, particularly for developing countries, to pool resources and information to fight IUU fishing.

The combined perspectives are all key to building the knowledge of the students who are professionals from across the world including, The Bahamas, China, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Iran, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, the Philippines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Uganda. When they graduate at the close of October 2021, they will be at the forefront of the fight against IUU fishing in their countries, with the majority working in national administrations (fishing, maritime, ocean and environmental departments) and maritime surveillance and enforcement agencies (navies, coastguards and ministries of justice).

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