Year: 2025

The EU IUU Fishing Coalition welcomes the publication of the European Commission’s Ocean Pact, which was unveiled on 5 June ahead of the UN Ocean Conference in Nice. However, its success will depend entirely on how urgently and effectively its commitments are implemented. In particular, it is crucial to address some key and long-standing structural […]

The European Union has long championed sustainable and equitable practices in its fishing partnerships worldwide, particularly through Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements (SFPAs). These agreements allow EU vessels to fish in the waters of non-EU countries in exchange for financial and technical support, aiming to ensure sustainable fishing practices while promoting economic development in partner nations. […]

The individuals profiting from illegal fishing and human rights abuses at sea regularly use ‘Flags of Non Compliance’ (FONCs), more commonly known as Flags of Convenience (FOCs) to evade scrutiny and sanction for their crimes.  On 12th June 2025, at the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC), members of the EU IUU Fishing Coalition convened […]

The FAO Global Record is a key transparency tool helping to tackle illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Designed to provide vessel information that helps verify legitimacy and trace ownership, it also supports implementation of key international agreements which are specifically designed to combat IUU fishing, such as the Port State Measures Agreement. The IUU […]

On 30th April 2025, at the 10th Our Ocean Conference in Busan, the EU IUU Fishing Coalition convened a high-level side event — From Ocean to Plate: The Role of Technology and Harmonisation in Ensuring Seafood Traceability and Fighting Against IUU Fishing — bringing together government representatives, civil society, and international experts from across the […]

Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing continues to threaten our ocean, the livelihoods of coastal communities, and the integrity of global seafood markets. But momentum is building to strengthen catch documentation schemes that prevent illegal seafood products from entering global markets, like the EU, the US, Japan and the Republic of Korea. A new report […]