On Thursday 18 October, the EU and the Republic of Korea pledged to work closely together to fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU).
A joint statement along these lines was signed by EU Fisheries Commissioner Karmenu Vella and Korean Minister for Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea Kim Young-Choon. The statement was signed the day before the bilateral EU-Republic of Korea summit.
“Putting an end to illegal fishing is one of the main objectives of the EU’s international ocean governance agenda”, Vella commented.
Thanks to this new partnership, the EU and the Republic of Korea will: - exchange information on suspected IUU activities; - enhance global traceability of fishery products threatened by illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, through a risk-based, electronic catch documentation and certification system; - join forces in supporting development states in the fight against IUU fishing and in the promotion of sustainable fishing through education and training; - and strengthen cooperation in international fora, including regional fisheries management organisations.
The Republic of Korea is the fourth third country with which the EU has signed a joint statement on IUU fishing, after the United States, Japan and Canada (see EUROPE 11542). Together, these five economies imported nearly €90 billion worth of fish and fisheries products in 2017.
Globally, IUU fishing is estimated to deprive coastal communities and honest fishermen of up to €20 billion of seafood and seafood products per year. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)