Jana Zoriry – EMTV Online
Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing has been diverting the commitment to reach the Sustainable Development Goal 14 ‘Life Below Water’ by 2020.
The Nature Conservation (TNC) representative Katherine Radway says in her presentation on IUU to APEC Oceans and Fisheries Working Group (OFWG) that in order to reach SDG 14, a combined effort is required by all groups and agencies involved in the monitoring, control, and surveillance of the oceans.
Ms Radway says that currently we are not on course to combat IUU by 2020 but added that there were global solutions in placed.
“There’s legislation and policy that is being developed and enacted, there’s also technology and platforms, there’s also inter-country initiatives where cooperation between economies can help reduce the flow and state of IUU fishing.
“We don’t need to reinvent the wheel, for we are focusing on is integrating these and for us the key areas to focus on are Governance, Transparency, and International cooperation,” Ms Radway adds.
In the Pacific Islands, IUU fishing has cost US$660 million (K2, 149.65) annually in loss of revenue from oceans resources.
“TNC is working in unison with respective authorities and international bodies at the national, regional, and global to help combat IUU fishing,” says Ms Radway.
Source: APEC News Release
