Antigua and Barbuda’s Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing.

The purpose of this document is: 1) to elucidate Antigua and Barbuda’s plan of action to prevent, deter, and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing; 2) to provide a status report on the nature and extent of IUU fishing with respect to Antigua and Barbuda; 3) to provide an account of the current policies and legislation relating to this problem; and 4) to identify ongoing strategies and programmes to address it.
According to the International Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IPOA-IUU), developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO, 2001); Illegal fishing refers to activities; conducted by national or foreign vessels in waters under the jurisdiction of a State, without the permission of that State, or in contravention of its laws and regulations; conducted by vessels flying the flag of States that are parties to a relevant regional fisheries management organization but operate in contravention of the conservation and management measures adopted by that organization and by which the States are bound, or relevant provisions of the applicable international law; or in violation of national laws or international obligations, including those undertaken by cooperating States to a relevant fisheries management organization. Unreported fishing refers to activities: which have not been reported, or have been misreported, to the relevant national authority, in contravention of national laws and regulations; or undertaken in the area of competence of a relevant regional fisheries management organization which have not been reported or have been misreported, in contravention of the reporting procedures of that organization. Unregulated fishing refers to activities: in the area of application of a relevant regional fisheries management organization that are conducted by vessels without nationality, or by those flying the flag of a State not party to that organization, or by a fishing entity, in a manner that is not consistent with or contravenes the conservation and management measures of that organization; or in areas or for fish stocks in relation to which there are no applicable conservation or management measures and where such fishing activities are conducted in a manner inconsistent with State responsibilities for conservation of living marine resources under international law.
This Policy deals with the following issues: Fisheries Research and Monitoring; Maritime Surveillance and Enforcement Assets; Working Relationship regarding Enforcement; Fisheries Prosecution and Ocean Governance Training; Critical Issues Affecting Monitoring, Control, Surveillance and Enforcement; Breaches of the Fisheries Legislation; Level of Compliance Regarding Local Fishing Licence; Actions Taken Regarding Local Fishing Licence; Level of Compliance Regarding Foreign Fishing Licence; Actions Taken Regarding Unauthorised Fishing by Foreign Vessels; Vessel Safety Violations and Occupational Health and Safety; Actions Taken to Improve Occupational Health and Safety; Level of Compliance Regarding Vessel Marking Conditions and Actions Taken; Level of Compliance Regarding Spear Fishing Permit and Actions Taken; Level of Compliance Regarding Queen Conch Conservation Measures and Actions Taken; Level of Compliance Regarding Spiny Lobster Conservation Measures and Actions Taken; Theft of Fish Pots or Traps and Actions Taken; Market-related Measures; Fines; Tentative Measures; Other Proposed Measures to Address IUU Fishing; Timeline for Proposed Measures.