Riyadh: The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture announced that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia joined the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA), aimed at preventing, deterring, and eliminating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The move supports the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to protect marine biodiversity and achieve environmental sustainability on a global scale.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the ministry stressed that the Kingdom’s accession to the agreement reflects its continued commitment to international environmental conventions and its dedication to safeguarding marine resources from overfishing. It noted that the agreement aligns with national legal frameworks that criminalize and combat IUU fishing and enhances the capacity of local regulatory authorities to monitor fishing ports and vessels and implement effective port measures to verify vessel identity and the origin of catches.
The ministry pointed out that PSMA aims to enhance coordination among national entities responsible for fisheries, the environment, and ports. It supports the enforcement of strict penalties on national vessels involved in illegal activities and contributes to raising awareness among fishermen and coastal communities about the importance of combating illegal fishing and adhering to environmental regulations.
The agreement will boost international cooperation for sharing information on IUU fishing activities, improve global fisheries management through standardized monitoring procedures, and promote investment opportunities compliant with port state measures. It prevents offending vessels from accessing ports or exporting their products to global markets and offers technical support to developing countries in curbing unregulated fishing and protecting marine biodiversity for long-term sustainability.
The Kingdom’s accession is part of its broader efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and conserve natural resources in line with the Saudi Vision 2030 objectives for environmental protection and food-security enhancement.
