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MOMBASA, Kenya (AP) — Fifteen countries from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Pacific adopted a declaration on Wednesday to step up efforts to combat illegal fishing, a practice that experts say costs the world economy up to $50 billion annually.
The Mombasa Declaration, named after the Kenyan city hosting the 11th Our Ocean Conference, calls on governments to improve access to information on fishing vessels, ownership and licensing, and to strengthen data sharing to better track fishing activities and enforce regulations.
Out of the more than 30 countries represented in the summit, Belgium, Cameroon, Chile, the Dominican Republic, France, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Republic of the Congo, Somalia and South Korea signed the agreement.
The signatories said in a statement the measures are intended to curb illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, also known as IUU fishing, which threatens marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on fisheries.
“In my country, our very existence depends on fish,” said Ghana’s fisheries minister, Emelia Arthur. “Over 60% of our animal protein comes from fish, and 10% of our population depends on the fisheries value chain for livelihood.”
Arthur added that fisheries are a matter of culture and national security for Ghana, noting that the declaration gives governments a platform to “fight together for transparency in the fisheries sector.”
Illegal fishing disproportionately affects coastal communities and small-scale fishers, particularly in developing countries, by depleting fish stocks, undermining food security and distorting markets. Experts also link it to human rights abuses, including forced labor and unsafe working conditions aboard fishing vessels.
The declaration builds support for the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency, a set of 10 policy principles aimed at improving governance through low-cost reforms, including modernizing vessel registries and publishing fishing authorizations.
French Minister Delegate for the Sea and Fisheries Catherine Chabaud said international cooperation was essential, with her country leading European nations in supporting the agreement.
“We will not be able to effectively combat illegal fishing without greater transparency and international cooperation,” she said. “Limited transparency in vessel ownership, tracking, and fishing activity and supply chains allow these illegal practices to thrive, making stronger access to reliable fisheries data and accountability mechanisms essential to protecting marine ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.”
Conservation groups welcomed the agreement, saying it reflects growing global momentum for greater accountability at sea.
“For too long, illegal fishing has thrived in the dark,” said Tony Long, CEO of nonprofit Global Fishing Watch. “When governments commit to transparency, they create an interconnected network where bad actors have nowhere left to hide.”
Beth Lowell, vice president of the environmental advocacy group Oceana, said the declaration signals that governments are “ready to act against illegal fishing and work together for a more transparent, equitable and sustainable ocean.”
The countries that signed the declaration are expected to begin implementing their commitments immediately. More governments are expected to join the initiative before the next Our Ocean Conference in 2027, a major annual event focused on addressing critical ocean issues.
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