Vanuatu International Fishing Fleet Management Policy.

This Policy, made by the Minister responsible for Fisheries in accordance with Part 4, section 11 of the Fisheries Act of 2014, concerns management and administration of fishing activities carried out by fishing fleets fishing in convention areas of Regional Fisheries Organizations of which Vanuatu is a member. It is intended to enhance Vanuatu's effort to meet obligations deriving from the different regional and international fishing arrangements, agreements, treaties, conventions, and commissions and to have a sound effective and efficient management of its offshore fisheries resources. This is expressed in 18 policy directions, strategies and measures aimed at strengthening Vanuatu's capacity to manage, monitor, and control the registration and operations of all the Vanuatu flag fishing vessels on the Vanuatu International Shipping Registry (VISR) known as the Vanuatu International Fishing Fleet (all flagged fishing vessel as defined in Part 1 of the Fisheries Act).
The Policy has four main objectives: a. Ensure that the Vanuatu international fishing fleet is managed by the Fisheries Department as the competent authority; b. Ensure that only IUU-free vessels are registered under the Vanuatu flag and to maintain an IUU-free fleet; c. Ensure that the Vanuatu international fishing fleet comply with the RFMO Conservation and Management Measures, Recommendations and Resolutions; and, d. Monitor and control the operations of the Vanuatu international fishing fleet. These objectives are expressed in 18 policy strategies concerning, among other things, establishment of an International Fisheries Unit within the Fisheries Compliance Division of the Fisheries Department. The Department will be the primary agency responsible for oceanic and coastal fisheries management. The Policy sets out its duties with respect to management of the Vanuatu international fishing fleet. it shall be responsible, among other things for carrying out Ports States Measures and catch documentation and traceability schemes. It shall also maintain a Vanuatu international fleet registry, which shall be in addition to any requirements for registration of vessels entitled to fly the flag of Vanuatu under Vanuatu law. All foreign fishing vessels must be in good standing with the Vanuatu Record of Fishing Vessels in order to be registered as Vanuatu flagged fishing vessels and be issued with an International Authorization to Fish License. Their owners shall demonstrate that the vessel has never been listed on any RFMO Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) List and shall declare that the fishing vessel has not and will not engaged in driftnet fishing activities. Various other obligations are imposed on fishing vessel owner or operator. Vanuatu vessels violating fishery regulations in one Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) member countries shall be cancelled from the Register. The Fisheries Department will establish a system whereby Vanuatu issues International Authorization to Fish licenses to all fishing vessels on the VISR and in good standing with the Vanuatu Record of Fishing Vessel.
Measures and directions included in this Policy also concern high seas transshipment, employment on Vanuatu vessels, investment in onshore facilities, monitoring, catch certification and control of landing, port state measures, size of the international fishing fleet, MCS (including VMS and an observer programme), catch certification, control on high seas fishing by Vanuatu vessels and an international authorization to fish license for such vessels.
As for port state measures, the Fisheries Department will designate and regulate a limited number of designated Ports outside the Vanuatu EEZ to ensure that Vanuatu is able to effectively carry out landing controls, by itself or in the framework of a cooperation agreement. It shall also designate and train port inspectors and defines their powers, establishing the procedures, the contents of and the results to be obtained from an inspection regime, including the adoption of port measures adopted by a subregional, regional or global fisheries organization, or pursuant to a treaty or arrangement, and more generally introduce port state measures such as prior notification of entry, control on landings, regulate or prohibit port access, or the landing, transshipment, packaging or processing of fish, or re-fuelling or resupplying a vessel. This Policy grants power to the Department to exchange information internationally for purposes of port state control on fishing and o prohibit entry into Vanuatu ports of vessels which have been identified as being engaged in or supporting IUU fishing.