Food & Climate
Efforts to combat illegal fishing won support from China, which has become the 108th State member of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation (FAO) Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (PSMA).
China is the world’s largest capture fisheries producer, according to the statement that “Food & Climate” platform received today.
The PSMA supports sustainable fisheries by ensuring that only legal, regulated and reported fish catches are landed in ports and eventually traded.
It does this by enabling Parties to deny port entry or use of port to foreign vessels suspected of engaging in IUU fishing, thereby preventing catches from such illicit practices from reaching markets and consumers.
Illegal fishing role
Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing remains one of the greatest threats to marine ecosystems due to its potent ability to undermine national and regional efforts to manage fisheries sustainably as well as endeavors to conserve marine biodiversity.
IUU fishing takes advantage of corrupt administrations and exploits weak management regimes, in particular those of developing countries lacking the capacity and resources for effective monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS). IUU fishing is found in all types and dimensions of fisheries; it occurs both on the high seas and in areas within national jurisdiction, it concerns all aspects and stages of the capture and utilisation of fish, and it may sometimes be associated with organized crime.
Fisheries resources available to bona fide fishers are removed by IUU fishing, which can lead to the collapse of local fisheries, with small-scale fisheries in developing countries proving particularly vulnerable. Products derived from IUU fishing can find their way into overseas trade markets thus throttling local food supply. IUU fishing therefore threatens livelihoods, exacerbates poverty, and augments food insecurity.
China support
“China’s accession to the PSMA is a milestone in the global effort towards responsible governance and sustainable development of fisheries,” said QU Dongyu, the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
“This step reflects the growing strong commitment of all the States that preceded and those who will follow China in joining hands to combat IUU fishing through the PSMA framework.”
China’s decision to become a Party to the PSMA is a significant development in the implementation of the Agreement as it represents one of the most important fishing nations.
According to FAO, China is the world’s top producer of aquatic animals in marine capture fisheries accounting for around 15 percent of the global total in 2023. China’s fishing fleet is estimated to number more than 500 000 fishing vessels, 342 000 of which are motorized, placing it among the top three countries in terms of fishing capacity.
Prior to China, Ukraine and Saudi Arabia in March 2025 were the latest states to become a Party to the PSMA. Other states are at an advanced stage in acceding to the Agreement.
The number of Parties to the PSMA now stands at 82, including the European Union which is a Party on behalf of its Member States, bringing the total number of States that are now bound by the Agreement to 108. The PSMA has the highest rate of adherence of all international fisheries and ocean-related instruments.
The PSMA’s implementation is backed by complementary instruments, such as the Global Record of Fishing Vessels and the PSMA Global Information Exchange System (GIES), which help port State authorities verify vessel identities and share compliance information with port, flag and coastal States and other concerned entities. These technologies enable real-time, cross-border collaboration, ensuring that vessels engaging in IUU fishing can be tracked, enhancing global enforcement efforts to conserve marine ecosystems and ensure sustainable fisheries.