Implementation of IPOA/IUU - International MCS Network

17end all forms of government economic support for IUU fishing. There can be nojustification for States to continue to assist those who carry out IUU fishing.3.2.5 Monitoring, Control and SurveillanceIUU fishers must evade detection in order to succeed. As noted above,the operators of IUU vessels often conduct fishing operations in areas whereMCS is lacking, particularly in remote high seas regions or in waters under thejurisdiction of coastal States, particularly developing States, that do not have theability to stop such fishing. The owners of these vessels also seek to avoiddetection through deceptive business practices. For example, they createextended and complex corporate arrangements to hamper investigators, theyrepeatedly change the names and call signs of their vessels and they regularlyreflag the vessels in States that continue to maintain open registries.Improvement in MCS capabilities and their effective implementation inwaters under national jurisdiction and on the high seas represents the best hopefor preventing, deterring and eliminating IUU fishing. Fortunately, States havedeveloped a number of MCS tools in recent years and have worked to strengthenand refine them. Cooperation among States, including through RFMOs and othermore informal networks, has also recently broadened. For example, States shouldconsider participating in the International Network for the Cooperation andCoordination of Fisheries-Related Monitoring, Control and SurveillanceActivities, described in Box 1.There are other recent examples of cooperation among States toimprove MCS capabilities. One is the Niue Treaty on Cooperation in FisheriesSurveillance and Law Enforcement in the South Pacific Region, which allowsparties to share their assets in fisheries surveillance and law enforcementactivities, including boarding, inspection and seizure of vessels. 33 Norway hasalso entered into agreements with several other States providing for exchange ofinformation on inspections at sea, exchange of information on port control,exchange of personnel and training. 3433 For a detailed discussion of this treaty, see “Illegal, Unreported and UnregulatedFishing: Considerations for Developing Countries,” by Tranform Aqorau.34 See “Measures to be Adopted by the Port State in Combating IUU Fishing,” by TerjeLobach.