Stricter punishments should be imposed on countries catching fish illegally, the international Food and Agriculture Organization said Thursday.
The Rome-based agency called on governments to increase penalties and cooperate more to suppress trade in illegally caught fish. The FAO also recommended that countries stop introducing more large-scale fishing vessels. It noted that of the 80 countries surveyed, only 26 said they have a set, numerical limit on how much their commercial fleets could fish.
“One problem often associated with over capacity in fishing fleets is illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing,†the FAO said. It also noted the over-fishing of tuna in the western and central parts of the Pacific Ocean, which should be monitored particularly closely.