May 17, 2016 โ The Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA), an international treaty intended to help stop illegal fishing, will enter into force now that it has been ratified by more than the 25 governments needed.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) announced May 16 that six countriesโDominica, Guinea-Bissau, Sudan, Thailand, Tonga, and Vanuatuโ had ratified the binding agreement, bringing the total to 30. They join other governments large and small around the world, including the United States and the European Union, and demonstrate the broad range of support for the PSMA.
This is a critical step in the global fight to end illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and should lead to more governments signing on to the treaty. That would strengthen the PSMA and extend its reach to new regions. We know that more countries are in the process of ratifying the pact, and we expect the numbers to grow.