Curbing IUU Fishing by Enforcing the Port State Measures Agreement

The Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA), endorsed by the FAO, is the first global treaty aimed at preventing illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing through enhanced port state control. Effective since 2016, the PSMA serves as a legally binding instrument to combat IUU fishing, mandating rigorous inspections of all foreign fishing vessels entering member ports, denying access to known IUU vessels, and conducting thorough investigations of suspicious vessels. Despite its potential, practical enforcement faces challenges, such as limited resources in developing countries, insufficient international cooperation and information sharing, and inconsistencies in legal sanctions across countries. To fully leverage the PSMA’s capacity, key issues such as resource allocation, global cooperation, and harmonization of relevant laws must be addressed.