Three Treaties to End Illegal Fishing
To support efforts to end illegal fishing, The Pew Charitable Trusts advocates for the harmonized implementation of three international agreements that seek to make it more difficult for unscrupulous operators to exploit gaps in national and regional fishing regulations. Read more →
The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization’s Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA), in force since 2016, strengthens port controls to prevent illegally caught fish from entering the global market. The International Labour Organization’s Work in Fishing Convention No. 188 (C188), in force since 2017, sets basic standards for decent work conditions in the commercial fishing industry. And the International Maritime Organization’s Cape Town Agreement (CTA), which will enter into force once 22 States have ratified with a total of 3,600 fishing vessels 24 meters or longer, outlines safety standards for commercial fishing vessels and details regulations that countries party to the agreement must adopt to protect fishing crews and their observers.
All three U.N. agencies have recognized the benefits of the aforementioned instruments in tackling illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing and associated social issues.
The map below shows which U.N. Member States have ratified each treaty. Enter a specific country to learn more.
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Albania
PSMA: Ratified on 4/7/2017.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
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Angola
PSMA: Ratified on 7/20/2022.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Ratified on 10/11/2016.
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Antigua and Barbuda
PSMA: Not ratified.
CTA: Ratified on 7/28/2021.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Argentina
PSMA: Not ratified.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Ratified on 9/15/2011.
-
Australia
PSMA: Ratified on 7/20/2015.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
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Bahamas
PSMA: Ratified on 10/7/2016.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Bangladesh
PSMA: Ratified on 12/20/2019.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Barbados
PSMA: Ratified on 2/2/2016.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Belgium
PSMA: Ratified by the EU on 7/7/2011.
CTA: Ratified on 5/10/2018 with 33 vessels.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Benin
PSMA: Ratified on 8/20/2021.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Bosnia and Herzegovina
PSMA: Not ratified.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Ratified on 2/4/2010.
-
Cabo Verde
PSMA: Ratified on 6/23/2016.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Cambodia
PSMA: Ratified on 12/6/2019.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Canada
PSMA: Ratified on 6/20/2019.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Chile
PSMA: Ratified on 8/28/2012.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Congo
PSMA: Not ratified.
CTA: Ratified on 5/28/2015 with 23 vessels.
C188: Ratified on 5/14/2014.
-
Cook Islands
PSMA: Not ratified.
CTA: Ratified on 10/21/2019 with 8 vessels.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Costa Rica
PSMA: Ratified on 12/4/2015.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Croatia
PSMA: Ratified by the EU on 7/7/2011.
CTA: Ratified on 2/18/2021.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Cuba
PSMA: Ratified on 3/25/2016.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Côte D'Ivoire
PSMA: Ratified on 10/23/2019.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Denmark
PSMA: Ratified by the EU on 7/7/2011; in respect of overseas territories on 11/28/2017.
CTA: Ratified on 8/6/2015 with 101 vessels.
C188: Ratified on 2/3/2020.
-
Djibouti
PSMA: Ratified on 11/27/2017.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Dominica
PSMA: Ratified on 5/6/2016.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Ecuador
PSMA: Ratified on 2/5/2019.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Estonia
PSMA: Ratified by the EU on 7/7/2011.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Ratified on 5/3/2016.
-
European Union
PSMA: Ratified on 7/7/2011
-
Fiji
PSMA: Ratified on 2/13/2019.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Finland
PSMA: Ratified by the EU on 7/7/2011.
CTA: Ratified on 2/19/2020.
C188: Not ratified.
-
France
PSMA: Ratified by the EU on 7/7/2011; in respect of overseas territories on 7/11/2016.
CTA: Ratified on 2/23/2018 with 103 vessels.
C188: Ratified on 10/28/2015.
-
Gabon
PSMA: Ratified on 11/15/2013.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Gambia, Republic of The
PSMA: Ratified on 7/29/2016.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Germany
PSMA: Ratified by the EU on 7/7/2011.
CTA: Ratified on 7/5/2016 with 39 vessels.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Ghana
PSMA: Ratified on 11/29/2016.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Grenada
PSMA: Ratified on 6/17/2017.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Guinea
PSMA: Ratified on 6/3/2016.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Guyana
PSMA: Ratified on 3/7/2016.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Iceland
PSMA: Ratified on 6/16/2015.
CTA: Ratified on 7/15/2013 with 175 vessels.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Indonesia
PSMA: Ratified on 6/23/2016.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Japan
PSMA: Ratified on 5/17/2017.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Kenya
PSMA: Ratified on 8/23/2017.
CTA: Ratified on 3/17/2022 with 18 vessels.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Liberia
PSMA: Ratified on 5/21/2019.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Libya
PSMA: Ratified on 12/5/2018.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Lithuania
PSMA: Ratified by the EU on 7/7/2011.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Ratified on 11/16/2016.
-
Madagascar
PSMA: Ratified on 3/27/2017.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Maldives
PSMA: Ratified on 3/16/2017.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Mauritania
PSMA: Ratified on 1/23/2017.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Mauritius
PSMA: Ratified on 8/31/2015.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Montenegro
PSMA: Ratified on 5/17/2017.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Morocco
PSMA: Ratified on 5/29/2022.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Ratified on 5/16/2013.
-
Mozambique
PSMA: Ratified on 8/19/2014.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Myanmar
PSMA: Ratified on 11/22/2010.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Namibia
PSMA: Ratified on 7/18/2017.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Ratified on 9/20/2018.
-
Netherlands
PSMA: Ratified by the EU on 7/7/2011.
CTA: Ratified on 5/7/2014 with 153 vessels.
C188: Ratified on 12/19/2019.
-
New Zealand
PSMA: Ratified on 2/21/2014.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Nicaragua
PSMA: Ratified on 8/14/2020.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Nigeria
PSMA: Ratified on 10/6/2022.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Norway
PSMA: Ratified on 7/20/2011.
CTA: Ratified on 11/26/2013 with 242 vessels.
C188: Ratified on 1/8/2016.
-
Oman
PSMA: Ratified on 8/1/2013.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Palau
PSMA: Ratified on 11/30/2015.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Panama
PSMA: Ratified on 11/21/2016.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Peru
PSMA: Ratified on 9/27/2017.
CTA: Ratified on 3/2/2021 with 474 vessels.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Philippines
PSMA: Ratified on 5/26/2018.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Poland
PSMA: Ratified by the EU on 7/7/2011.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Ratified on 12/17/2019.
-
Portugal
PSMA: Ratified by the EU on 7/7/2011.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Ratified on 11/26/2019.
-
Republic of Korea
PSMA: Ratified on 1/14/2016.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Russian Federation
PSMA: Ratified on 12/8/2020.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Saint Kitts and Nevis
PSMA: Ratified on 12/9/2015.
CTA: Ratified on 12/1/2017 with 0 vessels.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
PSMA: Ratified on 6/23/2016.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Sao Tome and Principe
PSMA: Ratified on 11/22/2016.
CTA: Ratified on 10/21/2019 with 0 vessels.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Senegal
PSMA: Ratified on 3/23/2017.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Ratified on 9/21/2018.
-
Seychelles
PSMA: Ratified on 6/19/2013.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Sierra Leone
PSMA: Ratified on 9/17/2018.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Somalia
PSMA: Ratified on 11/9/2015.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
South Africa
PSMA: Ratified on 2/16/2016.
CTA: Ratified on 8/19/2016 with 151 vessels.
C188: Ratified on 6/20/2013.
-
Spain
PSMA: Ratified by the EU on 7/7/2011.
CTA: Ratified on 2/7/2019 with 393 vessels.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Sri Lanka
PSMA: Ratified on 1/20/2011.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Sudan
PSMA: Ratified on 5/12/2016.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Thailand
PSMA: Ratified on 5/6/2016.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Ratified on 1/30/2019.
-
Togo
PSMA: Ratified on 12/2/2016.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Tonga
PSMA: Ratified on 5/6/2016.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Trinidad and Tobago
PSMA: Ratified on 10/24/2019.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Turkey
PSMA: Ratified on 3/30/2018.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
United Kingdom
PSMA: Ratified on 1/11/2021.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Ratified on 1/11/2019.
-
United States
PSMA: Ratified on 2/26/2016.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Uruguay
PSMA: Ratified on 2/28/2013.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
-
Vanuatu
PSMA: Ratified on 5/6/2016.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
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Viet Nam
PSMA: Ratified on 2/2/2019.
CTA: Not ratified.
C188: Not ratified.
How Illegal Fishing Threatens the Safety of Crews
The financial drivers behind illegal fishing can lead to poor safety and labor conditions for vessel crews. When stocks are overfished, fishers’ catch and income are reduced.
The Cape Town Agreement
The Cape Town Agreement
Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing jeopardizes the health and sustainability of the world’s fisheries, undermines the livelihoods of law-abiding fishers, and is widely associated with crimes such as piracy, human trafficking, and arms and narcotics smuggling.
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