Fifteen countries adopt Mombasa Declaration in Kenya to combat illegal fishing.

In a notable development in global marine conservation efforts, fifteen nations across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Pacific have formally adopted the Mombasa Declaration to combat illegal fishing. This declaration emerged from the 11th Our Ocean Conference held in Mombasa, Kenya, where participating countries recognized the urgent need to address illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing—a practice that is estimated to undermine the global economy by approximately billion each year.

The Mombasa Declaration emphasizes the need for improved transparency in fisheries management. Governments are urged to enhance access to critical information regarding fishing vessels, including ownership and licensing details, and to bolster data sharing initiatives. These measures aim to facilitate better tracking of fishing activities and more effective enforcement of regulations that govern fishing practices.

Among the countries that signed the declaration are Belgium, Cameroon, Chile, the Dominican Republic, France, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Republic of the Congo, Somalia, and South Korea. The signatories collectively acknowledged the necessity of combating IUU fishing, which not only threatens marine ecosystems but also endangers the livelihoods of millions who are reliant on fisheries.

The implications of illegal fishing are particularly severe for coastal communities and small-scale fishermen in developing countries. It leads to decreased fish stocks, threatens food security, and disrupts local markets. Experts have also highlighted the troubling connections between illegal fishing and human rights violations, such as forced labor and poor working conditions on fishing vessels.

The declaration builds upon the principles outlined in the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency, which aims to enhance governance through straightforward and cost-effective reforms, including modernizing vessel registries and publicly sharing fishing authorizations. The French Minister Delegate for the Sea and Fisheries, Catherine Chabaud, emphasized the importance of international collaboration in this effort, advocating for greater transparency in vessel ownership and tracking to effectively deter illegal fishing.

Conservation groups have lauded the Mombasa Declaration as a significant step toward global accountability in maritime practices. Leaders in environmental advocacy have noted that increased governmental transparency creates an interconnected network that can thwart illegal operations at sea. The countries that endorsed the declaration are expected to commence their commitments promptly. Additionally, more nations are anticipated to join this initiative leading up to the next Our Ocean Conference scheduled for 2027, reinforcing the global commitment to addressing critical ocean issues and fostering sustainable fishing practices.

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