Cameroon added to list of countries not cooperating in fighting IUU fishing

Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/405 of 20 February 2023 amending Implementing Decision 2014/170/EU, establishing a list of non-cooperating third countries in fighting illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, as regards the Republic of Cameroon

Update

Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/97 of 5 January 2023 identified Cameroon as a country that is not cooperating in fighting illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. On 20 February 2023 the Council of the European Union adopted Implementing Decision 2023/405 concluding that Cameroon will be included in the list of non-cooperating countries in fighting IUU fishing.

Impacted Products

fish, crustaceans

What is changing?

The Republic of Cameroon has been identified as a non-cooperating country in fighting IUU fishing, as defined by Regulation 1005/2008 (the IUU Regulation), and has been given a “red card”. The country will be added to the non-cooperating countries listed in the Annex of Implementing Decision 2014/170/EU in accordance with the IUU Regulation (Art. 33).

Why?

On 17 February 2021, the European Commission notified Cameroon that it was being identified as non-cooperating country according to the IUU Regulation. The concerns and shortcomings described in that notification have not been addressed sufficiently by Cameroon, and measures proposed in the plan of action have not been fully implemented. Cameroon has continued registering fishing vessels that operate outside its waters, including a vessel identified to have been involved in IUU fishing, without properly monitoring their activities. Cameroon has therefore failed to prevent fishery products originating from IUU fishing.

Timeline

This Decision entered into force on 24 February 2023.

What are the major implications for exporting countries?

EU Member States should refuse imported fishery products from Cameroon, even where those products are accompanied by catch certificates validated by the national authorities.

Background

Regulation 1005/2008 (the IUU Regulation) establishes an EU system to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU). Implementing Decision 2014/170/EU establishes a list of countries regarded as non-cooperating in fighting IUU fishing.

In its Decision of 17 February 2021, the Commission notified the Republic of Cameroon of the possibility of being identified as a non-cooperating third country. The decision opened a dialogue process with Cameroon, inviting the country to implement an action plan to rectify the identified shortcomings.

The main shortcomings identified by the Commission related to several failures to implement international law obligations, in particular:

• adoption of an adequate and updated legal framework
• lack of clear and transparent registration and licensing procedure
• lack of efficient and adequate monitoring of fishing vessels.

Supporting evidence included the lack of consistency with non-binding international recommendations and resolutions such as the FAO (2001) International Plan of Action against IUU fishing and the FAO (2015) Voluntary Guidelines for Flag State Performance.

It was concluded that Cameroon failed in its duties as a flag state to take action to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing.

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