Overview

The Mombasa Declaration was adopted at the 11th Our Ocean Conference held in Mombasa, Kenya, bringing together countries from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Pacific to strengthen action against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Coalition for Fisheries Transparency

  • Developed with support from the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency
  • A global network of over 60 civil society organisations
  • Mission: improve transparency and accountability in fisheries governance and management

Key Provisions of the Declaration

The declaration serves as a call to action for coastal and flag States to:

  • Improve fisheries transparency through better collection and sharing of information
  • Ensure public access to information related to fishing vessels and fishing activities
  • Support the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency, which outlines 10 low-cost policy principles

Governance Mechanism

  • Aligns with the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency
  • Aims to strengthen fisheries governance
  • Ensures sustainable marine resource management

Key Commitments by Signatory Countries

  1. Modernising vessel registries
  2. Publishing fishing authorisations
  3. Improving vessel ownership data
  4. Strengthening information-sharing mechanisms

Participating Countries

Countries endorsing the declaration include:

  • Europe: Belgium, France, South Korea
  • Africa: Cameroon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Somalia, The Gambia, Republic of Congo
  • Latin America: Chile, Panama, Peru, Dominican Republic
  • Asia-Pacific: Papua New Guinea
  • Note: India is NOT a signatory

Global Impact of IUU Fishing

Economic Impact

  • Estimated to cost the global economy up to $50 billion annually
  • Distorts markets
  • Reduces income for legitimate fishers
  • Contributes to declining fish stocks

Social Impact

  • Threatens marine ecosystems
  • Impacts coastal communities
  • Affects small-scale fishers
  • Threatens food security and livelihoods
  • Especially severe for developing and low-income countries

Human Rights Concerns

  • Linked to serious human rights violations
  • Includes forced labour
  • Exploitation of workers
  • Unsafe working conditions in parts of the global fishing industry

Significance and Future Outlook

  • Countries signing the declaration will begin implementing commitments
  • A wider campaign aims to encourage more nations to join
  • Next Our Ocean Conference: 2027
  • Goal: make transparency a global norm in fisheries governance

Related Topic

For comprehensive understanding, also refer to: WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies