The Costa Rican government has ratified the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)’s Port State Measures Agreement, which one group called a sign of the government’s commitment to fighting Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.
The legislative assembly voted to approve the agreement on 27 July, but it was only published this week in the national official gazette. The move drew praise from MarViva Foundation, a regional NGO that supports sustainable fishing.
“MarViva Foundation celebrates Costa Rica in its successful ratification of the international agreement, and reiterates continuous support to the government authorities for the upcoming next steps in its effective implementation,” the group wrote in a statement.
The agreement requires participating government tighten restrictions to prevent IUU fishing in their waters. MarViva praised the approval, saying it “represents a big step in the fight against illegal fishing in the country.”
