WWF: Senate Takes Strong Stand on Illegal Fishing

In response to the US Senate ratifying the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA), World Wildlife Fund (WWF) issued the following statement from David Schorr, head of WWF’s Transparent Seas Project:

“By ratifying this treaty, Washington is signaling to international leaders that the US is serious about shutting down markets to fish caught illegally at home and abroad. Illegal fishing impacts millions of people in nearly every country in the world and it’s going to take a concerted, international effort like this one to get it under control.

“Illegal fishing not only contributes to overfishing and depletes valuable fisheries; it hurts law-abiding fishermen and deprives coastal states of much-needed revenue. Ratifying and implementing this treaty is one of the most important immediate actions international leaders can take in the fight against illegal fishing.”