Addressing harm in distant water fishing: a case study from Liberia

Fisheries cannot exist without people. Most of us don’t think twice about the hands that worked hard to get fish onto our plates before we take a bite. For coastal small-scale fishing communities in Liberia, this connection is innate; they depend on healthy marine fish stocks for their livelihoods. However, their livelihoods are currently under threat.

Approximately 58% of Liberia’s four million people live within 60km of the coast. Fisheries in Liberia are a critical source of food and nutrition security, jobs for thousands of Liberians, and a key source of government revenues accounting for around 10% of GDP. However, Liberia’s valuable fishery resources are not just targeted by local small-scale fishers. Foreign fleets seeking access to Liberia’s waters pay fees to the government for the license to fish, a practice known as distant water fishing (DWF).

The first six nautical miles of Liberia’s coastal waters are reserved for exclusive use by small-scale fishers, an area called an inshore exclusive zone (IEZ), where DWF are not permitted. Though this policy has been in place since 2010, local fishing communities continue to struggle, and the full impact of DWF in Liberia is not well understood.

In partnership with the University of Liberia, in 2022 and 2023 Conservation International conducted targeted research on the social, economic and environmental impacts of foreign vessels fishing in Liberia’s waters, with a particular focus on a fleet of trawl vessels flagged to China. The policy brief based on this research provides key findings and recommendations to the Government of Liberia and other relevant actors to safeguard Liberia’s fishing communities and protect its valuable marine resources.

 

 

The results indicate that while spatial overlap between the trawlers and small-scale fleets may have been reduced thanks to the inshore exclusion zone (IEZ), the two fleets are still competing for the same resources, to the detriment of local livelihoods and food security. This means that while the IEZ is still a critical management tool for sustainable fisheries and safeguarding coastal livelihoods, on its own, it is insufficient. 

 

 

The presence of the distant-water trawl fleet in Liberia has significant direct and indirect social, environmental and economic consequences. Governance and management frameworks that prioritize the long-term health of marine ecosystems and safeguard the livelihoods of thousands of Liberians are urgently needed.

 

To achieve these goals, we’ve outlines three key short-term recommendations:

1. Protect the IEZ: Codify the 6 nautical mile inshore exclusion zone (IEZ) for exclusive SSF access into legislation, rather than executive regulation. Permanent protection for the IEZ will help safeguard coastal community food and livelihood security, but additional government engagement with community members is needed to incorporate local voices into decision- making processes.

2. Invest in SSF sector: Following the FAO’s SSF Guidelines, focusing resources on capacity building for coastal community fisheries, rather than on licensing DWF, may serve to both safeguard the economic, social, and cultural rights of Liberian communities while also maximizing benefits for the government.

3. Increase transparency and equity in decision-making: In line with the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency’s Global Charter, increase access to data and information to improve procedural, distributional, equity in governance. By providing access to data and information, and including coastal community representatives in decision-making processes, Liberia’s government can benefit from the research and analytical support from external groups, and ensure effective implementation of management decisions.

 

These findings are just one element that support CI Liberia’s Blue Oceans Programme continued efforts for coastal communities, women in fisheries, and local efforts to promote science-based and bottom-up policy reforms with decision-makers that center equity and sustainability over short-term profit.

To learn more, reach out to Katy Dalton, Senior Manager for Distant Water Fisheries (kdalton@conservation.org), or Mike Olendo, Director of Liberia’s Blue Oceans Programme (molendo@conservation.org).

 

Cover image: © Michael Christopher Brown

Ghana elections: civil society demands political actors to pledge support for fisheries transparency

Advocacy groups aim for the government to adopt adequate transparency measures of the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency between 2025 and 2028.

An election pledge launched today by the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency (CFT), a global network of civil society organizations that advocate for greater transparency and accountability in fisheries, together with the Environmental Justice Foundation, seeks to bring greater transparency in Ghana’s fishing sector. By signing the pledge, politicians are committing to implement the policy measures of the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency that address lack of transparency in data on vessel information, fishing activity, and fisheries management and government which enables illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, as well as human rights and labor abuses at sea.

“This election provides Ghana with the opportunity to demonstrate real progress towards sustainable fisheries management,” said Maisie Pigeon, Director of the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency. “Adopting adequate fisheries transparency measures is critical for strong fisheries governance, and we’re ready to work with the new administration to help Ghana enact these vital policies to not only counter illegal fishing, but to ensure the voices of small-scale fishers and coastal communities are considered in decision-making,” she added.

Fisheries are a vital part of Ghana’s economy, with an estimated 10% of the population involved in the sector, and almost 3 million people relying on small-scale fisheries for food and their livelihoods.

Through the pledge, the CFT aspires to unite political actors across Ghana to take additional steps to protect coastal citizens and communities from the consequences of overfishing and illegal fishing. This builds on the commitments made during the 2023 Our Ocean Conference in Panama to deliver 100 percent transparency in industrial fisheries by 2025. Most recently, Ghana officially committed to joining the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI), becoming the first country to do so within the West Central Gulf of Guinea, and taking a leadership position in the region. This bold act is further indication that Ghana is committed to maintaining a high level of transparency in the management of its marine fisheries resources.

However, there’s still work to be done. Ongoing efforts to update the Fisheries Act are expected to improve transparency, but other fisheries management and decision-making processes remain behind closed doors and there is an urgent need to establish frameworks which would make essential fisheries information more publicly accessible and user-friendly.

By signing the election pledge, the signatories commit to ensure that Ghana continues to make vital progress in fisheries transparency, providing fisheries sector employment opportunities for Ghanaians and guaranteeing coastal communities fair and equitable access to fisheries information and a seat at the table to participate in fisheries decision-making processes.

CFT commits to work alongside signatories and local NGO partners to support the implementation and monitoring process that would help Ghana increase transparency and ensure this vital resource is responsibly and sustainably managed for generations to come.

Podcast episode: The importance of the upcoming election and fisheries transparency for the future of the Ghana’s fishing sector

 

Cover image: © Maisie Pigeon

Expert Insight: Bridging the gap between fisheries data transparency and policy transparency

On World Fisheries Day, we sat with Dr Daniel Skerritt, Senior Analyst with the Transparent Oceans Initiative at Oceana and an Affiliated Researcher with the Fisheries Economics Research Unit at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, to untangle some complex concepts of fisheries transparency and hear his broad perspective on the subject.

We all agree that improving fisheries transparency is a crucial, yet daunting task for governments around the world. What is the practical value of open and accurate data about ‘who is fishing where, how, and how much’?

The value of enhancing transparency, particularly related to data disclosure, is incredibly high. When we talk about knowing ‘who is fishing, where, how, and how much,’ we’re addressing the core information that underpins sustainable fisheries management and regulatory compliance.

Knowing who is fishing and ensuring they are properly licensed and monitored is critical for accountability—if rules are broken, we can identify and take appropriate action against the offenders. It also means that we can understand the distribution of access, that is, if the opportunities to catch fish are shared fairly. This helps maintain a level playing field for all stakeholders. 

Knowing where they are fishing helps protect sensitive habitats and control the spatial distribution of fishing effort. It is about making sure that fishing doesn’t occur in marine protected areas or in areas reserved for specific communities. It’s also about safety and minimizing conflicts in busy, shared marine spaces.

How fishing is done relates directly to the impact of fishing. Ensuring methods being used are selective, low-impact, and avoid by-catch of non-target species and juvenile fish, is important for the health of ecosystems. And ensuring vessels are properly equipped and maintained is important for crew safety.

Lastly, knowing how much is being caught is fundamental to fisheries management. Accurate catch data are indispensable for setting quotas and ensuring that exploitation stays within ecological limits to prevent overfishing.

Together, this information enables more informed decision-making, which is critical not only for sustainability but also for fostering trust and cooperation among stakeholders, regulators, and the public.

What are the main challenges or barriers to achieving greater transparency in global fisheries, and how can they be addressed?

Key hurdles include the lack of political will or appropriate political processes, particularly in wealthier nations, and technological and financial constraints in low-and middle-income regions. 

Often, there’s resistance among actors, including some government bodies, who may benefit from less transparent practices or processes. To address this, building international coalitions that advocate for and support transparency can help align different nations towards common goals, and raise the standard for all fisheries. We need to ensure that our political and governance processes are up to the task of delivering transparency, this includes ensuring that resource users are held to account and that society can democratically hold decision-makers to account!

A significant hurdle may be a lack of financial, institutional, and technological capacity. It is not cheap, nor straightforward to collect and disclose information and therefore different forms of support, such as investment in technology and capacity building can empower governments to develop their own transparency efforts. This also means that we need to be clear about what or where transparency is most needed, who it will benefit, and to what end. 

Another challenge is the balance between transparency and its potential unintended consequences, including when transparency clashes with confidentiality, privacy, and data protection rights. For example, a government is not expected to publish stakeholders’ personal information or the patrol patterns of their enforcement vessels.

So, clearly there are limits to transparency, but it is important that we agree where the limit between accountability and excessive privacy lies―the threshold of those limits may be different for different communities―and do not allow this challenge to prevent progress towards effective transparency.

What strategies can be implemented by governments to ensure that transparency of data and information in fisheries translates into transparency in policy-making processes, thus bridging the gap between data transparency and policy transparency?

I think that transparency of data and information in fisheries management is primarily a technical issue, while ensuring this transparency influences policy making is a broader social challenge.

Governments need to establish strong democratic processes that not only involve stakeholders in the policymaking process but enable the people affected by these policies to influence decisions and hold authorities accountable for outcomes. This includes creating legal frameworks that mandate public consultations and stakeholder engagements, ensuring that the voices of those affected by policies—particularly small-scale fishers and coastal communities—are heard and genuinely considered in decision-making.

Furthermore, policy transparency requires that the pathways from data collection to policy formulation are clear and open to scrutiny. This means implementing systems where policy decisions are publicly documented, their justifications linked directly to the data upon which they are based, and that their impact is regularly and transparently evaluated.

Finally, international cooperation plays a vital role. Sharing best practices and successes in integrating data transparency with policy transparency across borders can help raise standards globally.

How can transparency as a tool for ‘good governance’ help deliver measurable improvements in fisheries?

Transparency is the cornerstone of good governance, not just in fisheries! One of the key aspects, as highlighted in my recent paper (Seeking clarity on transparency in fisheries governance and management), is the role of transparency in ensuring that governance and management interventions are not only implemented effectively but also remain adaptable to changing conditions.

Firstly, transparency allows for the regular evaluation of policies. By making information about fisheries management publicly accessible, stakeholders, including the communities most affected by these policies, can see whether the objectives are being met. Openly assessing performance against stated goals enables monitoring and also facilitates informed discussions on the efficacy of different interventions. Moreover, transparency ensures accountability. When decision-makers know their actions and decisions are being observed and scrutinized (and that they will be democratically held to account), it naturally drives them to adhere more closely to the rules and to commit to achieving the best possible outcomes for society. This is particularly critical in fisheries, where biodiversity and the livelihoods of millions of people are at stake.

Additionally, if policies are found lacking, transparency mechanisms facilitate the necessary adjustments. This is not only about exposing failures but about creating a feedback loop where policies can be dynamically refined and improved based on real-world data and stakeholder input.

Ultimately, I think that the goal of transparency in fisheries governance goes beyond IUU fishing and is about creating systems where policies are not only designed well but are also continually optimized to ensure sustainable and equitable use of marine resources. When this does not happen we need to make sure that there are processes in place to hold decision-makers, or rule-breakers to account. 

Cover image: © Maisie Pigeon

South Korea to become a global leader in fisheries transparency

The recent implementation of the revised Distant Water Fisheries Development Act by Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries demonstrates the country’s strong commitment to sustainable fisheries and transparent seafood supply chains.

Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries adopted on 25 October the revised Distant Water Fisheries Development Act that includes improvement of the country’s Catch Documentation Scheme (CDS) – one of the tools designed to curb illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing. With this act, Korea fully met the recommended Key Data Elements (KDEs) – the types of data required to trace seafood products successfully through the supply chain – from the previous 35 percent to the recommended 100 percent, representing the most significant progress made by any country in implementing these recommendations. Moreover, this initiative demonstrates the country’s strong commitment to sustainable fisheries and transparent seafood supply chains.

The Coalition for Fisheries Transparency, a global network of nearly 50 civil society organizations that advocate for government adoption of stronger fisheries policies, praised this achievement by Korea that now positions it as the first country in the world to make such significant progress towards accelerating fisheries transparency.

“I commend the Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries for taking this bold step to protect its fisheries resources and our shared ocean amid growing concerns about illegal fishing and seafood safety, and I emphasize our strong international support for these measures,” commented Maisie Pigeon, Director of the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency.

The coalition simultaneously called for the Ministry to intensify its leadership in fisheries transparency by expanding the CDS’ coverage and endorsing the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency – a set of 10 transparency policy principles designed to improve fisheries governance, combat illegal fishing, and prevent human rights and labor abuses at sea.

As the host of the upcoming 10th Our Ocean Conference (28-30 April 2025), Korea has a unique opportunity to demonstrate to the world that it can direct the fight against IUU fishing, by endorsing the Global Charter. By adopting the Charter principles into law and practice, Korea could influence and accelerate the adoption of fisheries transparency measures by other key seafood-importing markets like the US, Japan, the UK, and the EU. These actions position Korea as a champion for developing and standardizing the systems to implement the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency.

As a major global seafood importer, Korea has a due responsibility to consumers to ensure that its supply chains are safe, legal, sustainable and ethical. With its excellence in digital technology, Korea is perfectly positioned to develop a digital platform that includes comprehensive information to enhance consumer’s trust, ensure seafood safety and ethical sourcing of the product. Without seafood traceability – the ability to fully trace the product from the point of sale back to its point of origin – consumers   run the risk of unknowingly contributing to the destruction of marine environment and human rights and labor abuses, while perpetrators continue to plunder our oceans. On the flip side, strong traceability prevents seafood fraud, where cheaper seafood is sold as more expensive products, misleading consumers in order to increase profits.

By enacting the principles of the Global Charter, Korea can demonstrate its continued and long-term commitment to sustainable fisheries and its willingness to collaborate with the global community in addressing pressing challenges in marine resource management.

UK government publicly supports the need for improved transparency in fisheries

New UK Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Mr. Daniel Zeichner, expressed earlier this month the UK government’s broad support for a set of policies that would improve transparency and accountability in global fisheries governance and management. The statement by Mr Zeichner came in as a response to a written parliamentary question on the potential merits of adopting and implementing the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency – a set of 10 policy measures that address a lack of transparency in vessel information, fishing activity, and fisheries governance and management to combat illegal fishing and prevent human rights and labour abuses at sea.

“The UK Government welcomes the broad principles set out in the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency and sees considerable merit in its objective of improving transparency and accountability in global fisheries governance and management,” said Mr Zeichner.

The Coalition for Fisheries Transparency, a global network of civil society organisations that advocates for government adoption of stronger fisheries policies through ten transparency principles in the Charter, greatly appreciates this statement of intent and looks forward to supporting the UK to fully implement the principles in the near future.

“The UK plays a key role in international fisheries and maritime data. Its support for the Global Charter is both domestically and globally significant. We are ready to work with the UK to ensure fisheries transparency measures are put in place, in law and in practice,” commented Maisie Pigeon, Director of the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency. “This act would position the UK as an international leader for fisheries transparency, mobilising other countries around the world to follow suit,” she added.

A recent report A Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency: A framework for collaboration, justice, and sustainability by the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency highlights transparency as a powerful tool to improve fisheries governance at the national, regional, and global level. By adopting and implementing the vitally important fisheries policy reforms of the Global Charter into law and practice, governments demonstrate their commitment to equitable, sustainable, and well-governed fisheries that are free from harmful fishing practices, and from human rights and labour abuses. This entails regular collection, analysis, and public disclosure of data on fishing activities. Moreover, fostering inclusive participation in decision-making processes will allow governments, civil society, industry, and other stakeholders better monitor the use of marine fisheries resources.

The UK is either fully or partially implementing a range of policy measures set out in the Global Charter. These include: requiring the use of identification numbers on fishing vessels; publishing beneficial ownership data of UK-owned vessels; not permitting transshipment of fish at sea; and ratifying key international agreements, such as the Agreement on Port State Measures, International Labour Organization (ILO) Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and the Work in Fishing Convention.

“We will continue to keep under active review the steps we can take to combat illegal fishing and will continue to welcome engagement with the organisations who have produced the Charter,” assured Mr Zeichner. 

 

Cover image: © OCEANA/ Juan Cuetos

Shining a light on Cameroon’s fisheries sector

For more than a decade Cameroon has been in the dark ages with regards to transparency of information on fishing licenses. The Ministry in charge of fisheries has never published information about fishing vessels flying Cameroon’s flag on the ministry’s website. However, in the last two years, things slowly started taking a more positive turn since the country has been regularly publishing the lists of vessels authorized to operate in its waters.

Why the delay in bringing to light such pertinent information?

The rapid expansion of the fishing industry in the last five years caused many African countries, including Cameroon, to face a huge challenge in the management of its fishing registry, fisheries resources, as well as an effective implementation of governance measures, in law and practice. While it is important to undertake transparency measures, emphasis should be laid on the management of fishing activities by government entities, activities of fishing vessels, and traceability of fisheries products, from boat to plate.

Cameroon started publishing the list of fishing licenses in 2023, after the country received a “red card” from the EU for continuous registration of fishing vessels suspected of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities, operating outside its waters with insufficient monitoring of their activities.

Transparency measures undertaken by the government of Cameroon

In order to demonstrate strong willingness to improve its behavior, Cameroon has engaged in certain actions with the aim to meet some international transparency requirements such as publicizing its list of fishing licenses on the ministry’s website. One of these actions could be seen in the revision of Cameroon’s fishing law to meet higher international fisheries governance standards. Some principles of the Port State Measure Agreement (PSMA), such as equipping fishing vessels with geo-localization devices and the possibility of institutionalizing an on-board observer program, have been enshrined in domestic law.

In 2023 and 2024, the Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries (MINEPIA) published its fishing license list as strongly recommended by a non-governmental organization (NGO), Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), which has a proven track record in aspects related to transparency and fisheries governance. This publication brought to light 38 fishing licenses issued in 2023 and 39 fishing licenses issued in 2024. The state authority affirms that it is “opting for transparency in the management of fishing activities, monitoring, control and surveillance of its vessels and improving the traceability of fishery products”. The 2023 list was further published on the FAO Global record, a single access point for information on vessels as illustrated in the figure below:

Equally important is bringing out of the shadows the process of vessel registration in Cameroon which is carried out by the Ministry of Transport (MINT). This administration has shown some willingness towards improving things and will be engaged in the development of a digital system. This will enhance traceability and proper monitoring of Cameroon’s fishing fleet, especially IUU fishing fleet flying the country’s flag and operating outside Cameroon’s jurisdiction.

Stumbling blocks to effectively carry out transparency actions

Administrative bottleneck 

Validating official documents in Cameroon involves rigorous procedures as many steps have to be undertaken. For instance, the fishery law which has taken many years for its enactment and is still under revision. In addition, this is the case with the MoU document which the government ought to sign with the Global Fishing Watch (GFW), an international NGO dedicated to advancing ocean governance through transparency of human activities at sea. This whole process slows down the development of strategic collaborations.

Insufficient funds

The acquisition of sophisticated technological equipment such as Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) & radars to track IUU fishing vessels’ activities entails mobilizing funds, which is challenging, given the country’s limited financial resources.

Insufficient collaboration

The administrations involved in fishery management have not sufficiently put heads together to better manage the fishing industry as is the case with MINEPIA and MINT, as far as fishing vessel registration is concerned.

Towards a more transparent sector

Policy recommendations

Adhering to fishing agreements such as the PSMA, which is the first binding instrument when it comes to IUU fishing, is necessary. Also, the country should adhere to the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FITI), which comprises transparency requirements for the information that needs to be published by governments. The FiTI supports coastal countries to enhance the accessibility, credibility and usability of national fisheries management information.

Making communication effective

More importantly in addressing transparency in the fishing sector is to explore other avenues to better communicate to the government, general public, the media and coastal communities on issues pertaining to IUU fishing in Cameroon.

The relationship between the FiTI Standard and the Global Charter for fisheries Transparency

A joint statement by the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) and the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency (CFT) 

Since the Earth Summit in 1992, it has been widely accepted that the equitable and sustainable management of natural resources depends on public access to information. For marine fisheries, however, the call for improved transparency gained momentum much later. Unlike other natural resource sectors (such as oil, gas and mining), governments are only now starting to disclose basic information on their fisheries sector, such as vessel registries, permits, fishing agreements, stock assessments, financial contributions, catch data and subsidies.  

This lack of publicly available information does not necessarily stem from a lack of stakeholder demands or regulatory requirements. Many of the elements included in campaigns for transparency in the fisheries sector are already established in international agreements or policy papers on fisheries reforms, such as FAO’s landmark Code of Conduct on Responsible Fisheries or its Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries. Likewise, Freedom of Information laws regularly demand that the public is able to access information held by governments (including on the country’s fisheries sector) with only limited, explicitly defined exceptions arising from confidentiality claims and security matters. 

Many fisheries stakeholders regularly promote transparency in fisheries, including intergovernmental organizations such as the UN-FAO, the UNODC, the World Bank, the OECD as well as non-governmental organizations, including small-scale fishing associations or civil society organizations (CSOs). However, it has become evident that in order to motivate, support and monitor governments in providing access to fisheries information, long-term endeavours are needed. In this context, the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) and the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency (CFT) were established as two separate initiatives with the objective of improving fisheries transparency. 

The FiTI is a global multi-stakeholder partnership that brings together representatives from governments, industrial fishing companies, small-scale fishing associations, civil society and intergovernmental organizations, such as the World Bank, the UN-FAO and the Open Government Partnership. Following a two-year global consultation process, a unique consensus was reached in 2017 on what information regarding marine fisheries management should be published online by national authorities. This consensus is manifested in the FiTI Standard, covering 12 thematic areas of environmental, economic and social aspects of marine fisheries management. Since the FiTI’s legal incorporation as a non-profit organization in Seychelles in 2020 the number of governments implementing the FiTI Standard is steadily growing and strengthening fisheries governance through transparency and stakeholder collaboration. This has resulted in unprecedented access to fisheries information in these countries (including fishing access agreements, vessel registries, stock assessments and license data), increasing public understanding and opportunities for stakeholder participation. As an independent organization, the FiTI also strives to provide clear compliance measures to ensure what governments publish is credible, easy to understand and verifiable.  

The FiTI Standard is now widely recognised as a unique global framework that supports national authorities in meeting national, regional and international demands regarding access to information, public participation and fisheries governance. For example, the 79 member States of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) committed in their prioritised agenda for action (2023-2025) to achieving the highest fisheries transparency standards, and to at least the minimum Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) standards. Likewise, in a ‘Call for Action’, small-scale fishers from six continents call on their governments to, inter alia, be transparent and accountable in fisheries management by publishing relevant fisheries information to the minimum standards of the FiTI. 

The CFT is a global network of civil society organizations across five continents that work together to improve transparency and accountability in fisheries governance and management. Its Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency (short ‘Charter’) was officially launched at Our Ocean Conference in Panama in 2023, following a six-week period of open public comment on the proposed priorities. The Charter is a framework which sets out 10 policy principles developed to support civil society organizations in bringing about effective change in fisheries governance and transparency to support sustainable fisheries, maintain thriving coastal communities, protect crew onboard vessels from human rights and labor abuses at sea and to encourage effective governance. These policy principles seek to address the lack of transparency in three critical areas: vessel information, fishing activity, and governance and management. United around the CFT Charter, the CFT’s members urge governments around the world to adopt the Charter’s 10 principles into law and practice. 

The FiTI and the CFT share the common belief that the public availability of information is paramount to achieving sustainable fisheries. Without reliable information the capacity of national authorities to make decisions based on the best available data is diminished. So is the ability of non-governmental stakeholders to exercise effective oversight, demand accountability and engage in public dialogue. Furthermore, both initiatives recognize the benefit of a global alliance of civil society organizations to advocate for enhanced transparency among governments and to utilize published information to hold governments accountable for the benefit of those that depend on a healthy and productive marine environment.  

The CFT’s Charter and the FiTI’s Standard have been developed independently with different levels of stakeholder involvement and partially for different purposes. Given that both documents recognize transparency as an important tool to improve fisheries governance, the CFT Charter advocates for the adoption of some policy principles that are already included in the FiTI Standard. This relates to principle 2 on fishing vessel information as well as principle 9 on fisheries data and participation in fisheries decision-making. At the same time, the CFT Charter advocates for requirements that go beyond the purpose of strengthening participatory governance in fisheries, such as targeting illegal fishing or human rights and labor abuses. Hence, several policy principles of the Charter are not part of the FiTI Standard, such as the publication of vessel positions, control systems that ensure seafood is legal and traceable or to stop the use of flags of convenience by fishing vessels.

Despite the differences in how both initiatives were established, as well as the scope of public information they target and their engagement approaches, it is the FiTI’s and the CFT’s shared understanding that both initiatives can work in synergy in promoting transparency for fisheries governance.  

• For those governments that are already implementing the FiTI Standard and that are willing to embrace the CFT Charter as well, the Charter’s policy principles 2 and 9 are already met – and even surpassed – given the FiTI Standard’s comprehensive and in-depth approach regarding fisheries management information. Guided by the expertise of local civil society partners, the CFT and its members identify which Charter principles are most vital for governments to adopt and possible to implement. Having these critical principles 2 and 9 established in law and practice facilitates the adoption of the Charter’s additional principles. 
• Where governments have embraced the CFT Charter but are not yet implementing the FiTI, CFT supports in creating the enabling conditions by which a government may subsequently become a FiTI country, both by socialising fisheries transparency measures broadly and by specifically advocating for the implementation of the FiTI Standard. The FiTI Standard provides a structured and stakeholder-led framework to ensure that the Charter’s policy principles (i.e. 2 and 9) are met. Crucially, the FiTI Standard is the only internationally agreed framework through which governments can credibly demonstrate their compliance with these two policies of the Charter. This also avoids the risk that national authorities can interpret transparency of fisheries management at their own will and to their own benefit. 

Additionally, the FiTI Standard ensures that published government information is useful for non-governmental stakeholders to engage in policy debates, decision-making processes, and exercise oversight, as the FiTI Standard demands the publication of aggregated and disaggregated data for its transparency requirements, including for fishing vessel information and fisheries data (e.g. catches according to flag state, type of fishing gear, etc.). Also, by implementing the FiTI Standard to demonstrate their commitment to the Charter’s principles 2 and 9, national authorities can improve internal data quality and the sharing of information across data silos and identify important data gaps and/to? arrive at stakeholder-agreed recommendations for progressive improvement.  

Members of the CFT that operate in countries implementing the FiTI Standard benefit from an independent and globally proven approach to hold countries accountable for their commitment to increasing transparency of fisheries. The FiTI establishes National Multi-Stakeholder Groups in each country (comprising representatives from a country’s government agencies, businesses (industrial and artisanal) and civil society) to ensure that transparency efforts by governments are credible, useful, and sustainable. This provides designated non-governmental stakeholders – such as CSOs and small-scale fishing representatives – with an institutionalised ‘seat at the table’ when it comes to discussing fisheries data and transparency-related actions and policies. CFT’s civil society members can be natural candidates for FiTI’s National Multi-Stakeholder Groups and could therefore play a crucial and active role in the implementation and verification process within their countries. These Multi-Stakeholder Group meetings will also be beneficial to stakeholders to voice concerns, enrich policy development and ensure that measures adopted are well-suited to the unique challenges faced by these stakeholders. Further, CFT members are valuable partners in continuing to hold governments accountable based on the information made public through the implementation of the FiTI Standard.  

Advocating for the public availability of critical fisheries information aims to empower governments, civil society, and other stakeholders to engage in informed decision-making, enhance accountability, and foster greater trust in fisheries governance around the world. The ultimate expected impact of fisheries transparency is to enhance fisheries sustainability and pave the way for a healthier ocean, more resilient coastal communities, and a future where the benefits of fisheries are shared equitably.  

Ambitious campaign takes on destructive industrial fishing in west Africa

Blue Ventures, a marine conservation organization working to rebuild coastal fisheries and restore ocean life, has launched a three-year project (2024-2027) in West Africa to support the livelihoods and food security of coastal communities against the threats of industrial overfishing.

The region’s small-scale fisheries are increasingly threatened by overfishing by distant-water fleets, whose destructive fishing practices cause devastating, permanent damage to sensitive marine ecosystems and undermine critically important coastal fisheries. Moreover, instead of feeding local communities, much of the catch of the industrial fleet is exported to high-income countries, often without ever making landfall or entering local coastal economies. A large and growing proportion of this catch is transformed into fishmeal and oil to feed high-value fish in foreign aquaculture farms, diverting catches away from local value chains, undermining livelihoods – especially of women – and food security. Added to this, illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing continues to grow, with estimates suggesting that these cost west African economies at least $2.31 billion in annual losses. 

The overfishing crisis in west Africa requires holistic and regional solutions. Industrial bottom trawling, pelagic trawling and purse seining all contribute to the overfishing in the region. Effective protection of small-scale fisheries will require not just increased surveillance, but also greater transparency and better fisheries governance by national and regional governments.

The program is led by grassroots national and local organizations working directly with coastal and artisanal fishing communities. It aims to create a regional advocacy network to challenge industrial overfishing and bolster grassroots civil society engagement. The grand kick-off took place at PRCM’s 11th edition of the Regional Coastal and Marine Forum held from 22 to 26 April in the Republic of Guinea Bissau, the largest assembly of marine and coastal conservation stakeholders in west Africa.

Over the next few months and years of the project – that in its first phase includes Senegal, Gambia, Cabo Verde and Cameroon – Blue Ventures hopes to develop tools and information materials to support advocacy efforts, launch national/regional campaigns for better policy development and enforcement against industrial fishing, and ensure sustainable fisheries management through ongoing, coordinated surveillance.

Aissata Dia, Blue Ventures’ advocacy lead in the region, expressed the urgency of this cause: “The activities of industrial vessels are depriving small-scale fishers of their livelihoods and affecting food security in the region. Blue Ventures believes in the power of  small-scale fishers to transform coastal conservation, and we place them at the heart of everything we do.”

Collaboration is critical to this initiative. Blue Ventures is partnering with national and local organizations, scientific institutions, NGOs, private sector stakeholders, and technical and financial partners to secure the future of the region’s coastal communities and marine ecosystems.

Ms Aby Diouf, a member of the National Coalition for Sustainable Fishing (CONAPED), expressed her support for the organization’s work in the region, stating: “Thanks to the financial support of Blue Ventures, CONAPED was able to meet the candidates in the Senegalese presidential election, including the current government, to encourage them to sign the charter for sustainable fishing. These commitments contributed to the decision to publish the list of industrial fishing vessels authorized to fish in Senegal, which is a major step towards greater transparency in the management of the fisheries sector.”

The inclusion of a diversity of actors in the program offers open and better-informed dialogue among fisheries stakeholders, which in turn provides an opportunity to engage meaningfully in decision-making processes. Blue Ventures hopes this new initiative will significantly and positively impact west Africa’s coastal communities and lead to a brighter, more sustainable future. In the short-run, the organization hopes to encourage the region’s governments to take urgent steps to make transparency in fisheries a reality, by regularly publishing the lists of fishing vessels, joining the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) – a global initiative promoting transparency and public disclosure of information on fisheries governance, – and/or by adopting transparency principles of the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency (addressing lack of transparency in three critical areas: vessel information, fishing activity, and governance and management) into law and practice.

A new report demonstrates benefits of transparency in fisheries for governments around the world

The Coalition for Fisheries Transparency calls on states to adopt the principles of the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency into law and practice

A new report A Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency: A framework for collaboration, justice, and sustainability, published today highlights transparency as a powerful tool to improve fisheries governance at the national, regional, and global levels. By publicizing accurate and up-to-date fisheries information, governments can reap an array of benefits, including improving the long-term sustainability of fisheries resources, enhancing food security, ensuring stable livelihoods for coastal fishing communities, fostering inclusive participation in decision-making, strengthening law enforcement, curbing corruption, and preventing human rights and labor abuses at sea.

The report, commissioned by the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency – a global network of civil society organizations that advocate for greater transparency and accountability in fisheries – elaborates on the ten transparency principles in the Global Charter, aimed at addressing some of the most urgent and complex problems in fisheries management, such as overfishing. As of 2021, almost 38% of global fish populations are caught as unsustainable levels, according to the 2024 State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA) report, published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

“Several factors contribute to overfishing, including inadequate laws, weak enforcement, and lack of political will. However, one of the most significant causes is the lack of transparency in data on vessel information, fishing activity, and governance and management, which enables illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, as well as a host of other critical challenges,” explained Maisie Pigeon, Director of the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency.

The Coalition’s report outlines each principle and provides recommendations for governments and civil society, demonstrating examples of their real-world application.

“Transparency reforms are urgently needed in fisheries legislation worldwide,” added Pigeon. “By adopting necessary fisheries policy reforms through ten transparency principles of the Charter into law and practice, governments will demonstrate their commitment to equitable, sustainable, and well-governed fisheries that are free from harmful fishing practices, and from human rights and labor abuses,” she concluded.

This entails regular collection, analysis, and public disclosure of data on fishing activities. Moreover, fostering inclusive participation in decision-making processes will allow governments, civil society, industry, and other stakeholders better monitor the use of marine fisheries resources.

Even though the implementation of the Charter principles varies significantly from country to country, the Coalition’s objective is to establish transparency measures by empowering civil society worldwide to catalyze change. Through engagement with governments on fisheries transparency, and strategic prioritization of advocacy efforts, NGOs can drive meaningful progress, ensuring that government decision-making fulfills transparency commitments and addresses the needs of a multitude of actors.

Effective government implementation of global agreements and frameworks is one example of collective action to support the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)14 “Life Below Water” before the 2030 deadline. The 3rd UN Ocean Conference in Nice in 2025 represents a critical moment for governments to adopt transparency measures aligned with the principles of the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency. Enactment of these policies will reinforce conference objectives, mobilize collective action, and accelerate fisheries transparency efforts, in turn contributing to the realization of the ambitious goal of SDG14.

Reinforcing Guinea’s fisheries governance through a multi-stakeholder collaboration approach

Multi-stakeholder partnership project

Since 2021, GRID-Arendal, in partnership with Trygg Mat Tracking (TMT), the Regional Partnership for the Conservation of the Coastal and Marine Zone (PRCM), and the Ministry of Fisheries of Guinea (Conakry), has been leading the project Reinforcing Fisheries Governance in Guinea, with generous financial support from OCEANS 5. This multi-stakeholder initiative aims to establish robust sector-specific legislation and support the implementation of effective monitoring and enforcement methods. By engaging local actors in fisheries management and providing training in the use of innovative techniques, the project seeks to improve the management and transparency of Guinea’s fisheries through reforming the sector’s policy framework, enhancing monitoring and reporting of illegal activities, and promoting sustainable fishing practices.

An active engagement of the Guinean government and local stakeholders in policy reform processes constitutes a key component of the project. This includes establishing intra-governmental working groups to strengthen the legal framework, improve monitoring, and increase transparency in the fisheries sector. The project covers two key aspects. The first one aims to enhance inter-agency and multi-stakeholder collaboration leading to the strengthening of policies’ enforcement. The second aspect deals with the use of innovative technology (like Unmanned Aerial Vehicle – UAV and satellite imagery) to overcome surveillance limitations and support existing systems in combating Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing activities.

Improving inter-administration collaboration: a critical overarching approach to building local capacity to fight illegal fishing and increase fisheries transparency

Effective fisheries governance requires a diverse range of stakeholders to coordinate efforts in a harmonious way. Our project, in collaboration with TMT and PRCM, delivered a comprehensive training to local actors responsible for the Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) of fisheries, enhancing transparency in the fisheries sector by including legal, technical, and procedural aspects.

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