FAO Compliance Agreement: Agreement to Promote Compliance with International Conservation and Management Measures by Fishing Vessels on the High Seas

The Agreement to Promote Compliance with International Conservation and Management Measures by Fishing Vessels on the High Seas (FAO Compliance Agreement) was adopted by members of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 1993 and has been in force since 2003. It sets out principles and international standards for responsible practices in fisheries and aquaculture. The overarching aim is to reduce illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and promote compliance with international conservation and fisheries management measures. The provisions of the FAO Compliance Agreement strengthen the control that flag states have over their vessels, so they can ensure compliance with international measures, and to limit the re-flagging of fishing vessels to flag states that don’t have the resources or the political will to enforce compliance with those international measures. It also places responsibility on flag states to maintain records of fishing vessels, among other provisions. There are currently over 40 Parties to this agreement, including the EU. The main body responsible for overseeing the implementation of this agreement is the FAO, headquartered in Rome, Italy.