In 2001 representatives from the six founding members came together with a common goal of combating IUU fishing. The result was the formation of the International Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Network. One of the major goals of the Network was, and is, to provide a venue for fisheries MCS practitioners to meet, facilitating communication, cooperation, and the exchange of information to contribute to the fight against IUU fishing. Thus the Global Fisheries Enforcement Training Workshops (GFETW) were conceived. Since 2001 the Network has grown from the initial 6 members to approximately 50 countries. Participation is voluntary and encouraged but limited to representatives from national government organizations.

The GFETW offers a cooperative international setting, to examine specific methodologies to tackle IUU, ranging from policy and legislation, to actual surveillance methods and operational details. The GFETW offers an unprecedented forum for exchange of ideas while offering an opportunity for the development of personal and professional alliances in the global fight against IUU fishing.

The long term damage to fish stocks and marine ecosystems caused by illegal fishing is felt the world over. The 3rd GFETW will address the needs and concerns of both developing and developed countries and will help to focus attention on cost effective solutions to tackling IUU fishing. Whilst suffering the greatest losses from IUU fishing developing countries are often least equipped to prevent it. IUU fishing causes loss of income, jobs, food security, ecosystem productivity, biodiversity, and damage to marine environments. Inevitably those hardest hit by IUU fishing are some of the world’s poorest people, people that rely on fishing for their daily survival. The 3rd GFETW will have a special focus on the needs and challenges facing developing countries when dealing with IUU fishing.

Increased political awareness and commitment against IUU fishing is leading to an increasing level of success in stopping fishers and traders that are breaking the law.

The message that the world is giving is clear:

Illegal fishing will not be tolerated nationally or regionally or globally.

Namibia de-flagged the “Paloma V” after it was implicated in illegal fishing in New Zealand in May 2008;

• Namibia de-flagged the "Paloma V" after it was implicated in illegal fishing in New Zealand in May 2008;
• Mozambican authorities seized the "Antillas Reefer" in Mozambican waters in July 2008;
• The Tanzania Fisheries Minister cancelled 69 licences held by foreign fishing vessels operating in the Indian Ocean, to control unregulated fishing in Tanzanian waters in July 2008;
• Madagascar arrested the Senegalese fishing vessel "El Amine" for illegal fishing and for carrying 33 tons of processed shark products and 1.5 tons of lobsters on board in October 2008;
• In October 2008 a People's Republic of China Fisheries Law Enforcement Command (FLEC) officer, on board a U.S. Coast Guard cutter, seized a Chinese fishing vessel, the "Zhe Pu Yu Leng", suspected of illegal large-scale high-seas drift net fishing 400 miles east of Hokkaido, Japan;
• In the last few months of 2008 the multi-nation Island Chief Operation maritime surveillance headquarters in Papua New Guinea detected and reported three foreign fishing boats operating illegally in Kiribati’s waters who were subsequently arrested by the Kiribati Police Maritime Unit;
• In December 2008 the Environmental Justice Foundation collaborated with the authorities in Sierra Leone leading to the arrest of the pirate trawler "APSARI-3";
• 2008 also saw 17 people stand trial in Sweden charged with illegally fishing more than 100 tonnes of cod from Swedish waters in 2005 and passing it off as pollack in order to circumvent strict EU quotas limiting cod fishing; and
• A joint sea surveillance patrol between South Africa, Mozambique and Tanzania led to arrests of IUU vessels in South Africa, Mozambique and Tanzania in March 2009.

(Information sourced from the international media)

At the end of the day, success will only be achieved if those trying to prevent IUU fishing activity are vigilant and are also given the resources, legal, technological, financial and political, to stop this crime. Only then can we curb the crisis, bring illegal fishing under control and those guilty to justice.

Mozambique is an important fishing nation with 2,789 km of coastline bordering the Indian Ocean. The fisheries are diverse and offer the visiting fishery professional an opportunity to see small scale fishers at work casting nets, sailing dhows or preparing fish for drying or smoking. In
contrast the busy ports, such as the capital of Maputo, are home to industrial and semiindustrial vessels that fish for the famous Mozambican Prawn.

Fisheries experts will enjoy witnessing the trading of fish and seafood at the bustling fish markets that can be found in every port along the coast.

For those wishing to use this opportunity to experience more from Mozambique the northern coastline offers ocean
experiences that will interest from the fishery or tourist view point.

Just over an hour’s flight from Maputo is Johannesburg which serves as the regional air hub for southern Africa and offers flights to most international
destinations. Direct flights are also available from Maputo to Portugal as well as to a range of regional cities.

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP

In today’s global marketplace all countries share the responsibilities of ensuring the legal and sustainable harvest and processing of fisheries products. To that end, the value of fisheries enforcement workshops presented to a global audience is clear. Corruption, organized crime, theft and piracy have become commonplace in the global fisheries sector. MCS practitioners must continue to receive training to increase their understanding of the ever changing and increasingly complex tools to fight such crimes both at sea and on land.

The 3rd GFETW will be held in Maputo Mozambique in 2010. Holding such an event in Africa will facilitate greater participation by many African countries but will also offer a clear focus on the needs of developing nations to elevate the fight against IUU fishing. Designed for MCS practitioners, the Workshop’s agenda will feature a diverse range of topics. The objective is to provide discussion-provoking presentations on cost effective MCS tools that all countries can benefit from, regardless of the extent of their IUU fishing activity or level of MCS capabilities.

Challenges within fisheries MCS are often similar, even if the regions and fisheries are different or whether you are dealing with national waters or the high seas. These challenges may include issues involving artisanal vessels, domestic fleets and foreign flagged vessels. At the 3rd GFETW, both traditional and innovative MCS methods and approaches will be presented to tackle these challenges.

Planned workshop topics include:

• Port State Measures - An operational perspective and
  review
• Certification, verification and traceability
• IUU fishing and artisanal and small-scale fisheries
• Regional Fisheries Management Organisation compliance measures
• Using regional MCS as a cost effective solution to combat
  IUU Fishing
• Cost effective MCS measures/technology
• Training and capacity building
• International measures to combat IUU fishing
• Regional breakout sessions

Participation

• The workshop is not open to the general public. Participants will have expertise in matters related to fisheries monitoring control and surveillance on a national, regional or global level and the workshop is targeted at operational level personnel. 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 will be hosted by the Government of Mozambique in cooperation with the International MCS
  Network. This workshop follows the successful 2008 2nd GFETW held in Trondheim, Norway.
• Simultaneous interpretation will be provided in English,
  Spanish, French, and Portuguese.

The International MCS Network:
Third Global Fisheries Enforcement Training Workshop
February 28th - March 4th 2011, Maputo, Mozambique