THE FOURTH GLOBAL FISHERIES ENFORCEMENT TRAINING WORKSHOP

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1 The decorated oxcart is an internationally recognized symbol of Costa Rica THE FOURTH GLOBAL FISHERIES ENFORCEMENT TRAINING WORKSHOP Protecting Artisanal and Regional Fishing Communities through the Promotion of Legal, Reported and Regulated Fisheries February 17-21, 2014 San Jose, Costa Rica Hosted by the International Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Network in partnership with the Costa Rican Ministry of Agriculture, OSPESCA, Conservation International, Marine Scotland, and DEFRA

2 THE FOURTH GLOBAL FISHERIES ENFORCEMENT TRAINING WORKSHOP San Jose, Costa Rica February 17-21, 2014 Wyndham San Jose Herradura Cooperation. Collaboration. Information Exchange. Small scale and artisanal fishing is an important part of the Costa Rican economy. The fourth GFETW will be hosted by Costa Rica and OSPESCA, the regional fisheries organization in Latin America. MCS professionals from around the world as well as experts from related fields will convene from February 17 21, 2014 in San Jose, Costa Rica in order to exchange experience and to learn from show case examples of good MCS practice. This Fourth Global Fisheries Enforcement Training Workshop will focus on the protection of the livelihoods of artisanal and regional fishing communities dependent on sustainable fisheries. Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing activities may offer short term gain for a few fishermen but they cause long term damage to artisanal and regional fishing communities. The fourth GFETW will build on the success of the past three Workshops which have been particularly successful in building trust between MCS professionals. The previous Workshops promoted cooperation between enforcement authorities across national borders and facilitated the introduction of new monitoring technologies. The workshops have raised awareness for the importance of compliance with and effective enforcement of fishing laws. 2005: Malaysia hosted the first GFETW in Kuala Lumpur 2007: Norway hosted the second GFETW in Trondheim 2011: Mozambique hosted the third GFETW in Maputo 2014: Costa Rica to host the fourth GFETW in San Jose

3 Throughout the past sixty years, Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing has proliferated due to the globalization of the fishing industry and increased demand for fishery products. IUU fishing was formally defined in 2001 by the FAO, which defines IUU activities as they concern fishing in contravention with the applicable conservation and management measures. An illegal vessel off the Australian Coast on April 3, Photo courtesy AFMA ILLEGAL UNREGULATED UNREPORTED The estimations of IUU fishing range from USD$10 23 billion annually. IUU fishing may result in unsustainable exploitation of living marine resources, destruction of aquatic habitats, loss of income and employment of legitimate fishermen and distortion of markets for fishery products. Over one billion people depend on fish as their primarily source of protein. In the long term IUU may deplete fish stocks to the point where the viability of the fishery and the conservation of the stocks may be threatened. IUU may undermine sustainable development of coastal populations. Mozambican MCS officials measure nets with gauges. Photo courtesy Stop Illegal Fishing.

4 Members of the US Coast Guard participate in a capacity building workshop. Photo courtesy US Coast Guard. The Global Fisheries Enforcement Training Workshop (GFETW) is a series of conferences organized by the International MCS Network to improve and enhance capacity and communications of MCS professionals from around the world. Sustainable fisheries can only be achieved when fishing is pursued in compliance with the applicable rules and therefore all fishing activities in the world s oceans and seas should be subject to adequate levels of monitoring, surveillance and inspection. The GFETW offers MCS professionals a unique opportunity to meet their colleagues from around the world to discuss issues related to their work. It is in this way that the GFETW fosters trust between MCS professionals and facilitates international cooperation between national fisheries enforcement authorities which is essential for promoting compliance and thus sustainability. Planned Workshop topics include: Regional MCS Cooperation, Cost Effective Fisheries Enforcement, Tackling Transnational Illegal fishing, Stop IUU Fishing Contest, Partnerships, Sponsorships and Technical Assistance, Promoting and Funding Capacity Building The workshop is not open to the general public. Registration for participation will be opened in Summer 2013 for MCS specialists who have expertise in matters related to fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance on a national, regional or global level. The workshop is targeted at operational level personnel. Registration will be capped at 200 participants, and based on a first come-first served basis. Sponsored participants are selected on the basis of their professional background, geographical representation and funding status to ensure a global perspective. The five day workshop is hosted by the Government of Costa Rica in cooperation with the International MCS Network. Simultaneous interpretation will be provided in English, Spanish and French.

5 A Senegalese Navy boarding officer inspects a vessel in the EEZ. Photo courtesy US Navy. A student submission to the Network s 2013 Stop IUU Fishing Drawing Contest from Ong Chai Thing, Malaysia represents the cooperation, collaboration, and information exchange that is needed to protect the oceans from IUU fishing. The aim of the International Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Network is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of fisheries related MCS. To achieve these goals, the Network promotes the exchange of information and experience between MCS professionals through many initiatives including the Network website ( and the quarterly Network newsletter. Additionally, the International MCS Network oversees a database of qualified MCS experts to assist in capacity building in developing countries. The Network also promotes the exchange of MCS equipment and research between countries. The Network was established by the USA, Chile, Peru, Australia, Canada and the European Union in The Network fills a critical void in international cooperation, and brings the voice of enforcement authorities to the international level. For more than a decade, the Network has linked MCS practitioners from around the world to cooperate on fisheries enforcement in the fight against IUU fishing. The International MCS Network operates as an informal organization which encourages participation from fisheries inspectors, investigators, attorneys, Foreign Service officers, forensics specialists and others who are involved with fisheries MCS or who respond to IUU activities. Over 50 countries and one regional fisheries management organization currently make up the membership of the Network; members are defined as states, regional economic integration organizations and RFMO s.

6 Located between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, Costa Rica is home to a wealth of natural and marine resources. The country is rich in biodiversity, with many different shark and fish species and close to 40 marine mammal species. Costa Rica has made many efforts to preserve their natural resources by designating marine protected areas, legislating to end shark finning, and putting an emphasis on sustainable fishing. The theme of this GFETW, Small-scale and artisanal fishing, will showcase the local fishing economy, which accounts for 25,000 jobs across the country. The primary fisheries are lobster, shark, swordfish and mackerel. There are many places to explore in Costa Rica, including Cocos Island National Park, a World Heritage Site, is lauded by scuba divers, snorkelers, and hikers alike for the variety of flora and fauna the tropical island has to offer. San Jose, the nation s largest city, is home to the National Theater, the Museum of Costa Rican Art and the Simon Bolivar Zoo. The Wyndham San Jose Herradura Hotel, the venue for the 4th GFETW, is located just ten minutes from the Juan Santamaria Airport. More information can be found at