Mexico Joins the Port State Measures Agreement to Address Illegal Fishing - Oceana USA

Victory | March 31, 2023

Mexico Joins the Port State Measures Agreement to Address Illegal Fishing

Mexico joined the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA), a binding international agreement to prevent, deter, and eliminate illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The PSMA prevents vessels engaged in IUU fishing from using foreign ports and landing their catches in countries that have signed on to the agreement, which disincentivizes these vessels’ operations and stops their products from reaching national and international markets. Oceana played a crucial role in Mexico’s adoption of the PSMA, campaigning Senators, the Navy, and the Foreign Affairs Ministry to support the measure. According to Mexico’s fisheries agency, illegal fishing accounts for more than 40% of the country’s fish catch. Joining the PSMA will help to curb these illicit activities. Following Mexico’s adoption of this agreement, Oceana continues to campaign for a new national law that will increase transparency and traceability in the country’s fishing sector.