The Mombasa Declaration is a call to action for coastal and flag States on fisheries transparency, with a particular focus on better collection and dissemination of vessel information and allowing for better access to fisheries data. It builds support and momentum for the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency, which outlines 10 low-cost or no-cost policy principles that governments can adopt globally, in law and in practice.
Endorsed at Our Ocean by a diverse coalition of countries—including Belgium, Cameroon, Chile, the Dominican Republic, France (on behalf of its overseas territories), Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Republic of the Congo, Somalia, and South Korea—the Mombasa Declaration unites nations committed to strengthening ocean governance and leading global action on fisheries transparency. Once adopted, signatory countries will begin putting the Declaration into action. The signing launches a campaign for other nations to join the effort in advance of the next Our Ocean Conference in 2027.
Coastal communities, small-scale fishers, and economies that depend on marine wildlife bear the brunt of IUU fishing, which threatens livelihoods, food security, and the long-term health of ocean ecosystems. The Mombasa Declaration responds to these challenges by advancing practical transparency measures, outlined in the Global Charter, to improve access to information on vessel ownership, licensing, and fishing activity; strengthening accountability; and enabling more sustainable and equitable management of marine resources.
Hon. Emelia Arthur, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Ghana, said, “In my country, our very existence depends on fish. Sixty percent of our animal protein comes from fish, and ten percent of our population depends on the fisheries value chain for livelihood. Fisheries are a matter of culture and national security for us. I’m happy that Ghana is among the first countries to sign the Mombasa Declaration, because it provides a platform for all of us, the different governments, to come together and declare on an international platform that we are working together, fighting together for transparency in the fisheries sector.” Madame Catherine Chabaud, Minister Delegate for the Sea and Fishery, France, said, “France is proud to be among the first supporters of the Mombasa Declaration on Fisheries Transparency, through its Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs).
This initiative is based on a simple conviction: we will not be able to effectively combat IUU fishing without greater transparency and international cooperation. The Declaration provides an important opportunity for governments to demonstrate their political commitment to improving fisheries governance. We hope that many more countries will join this initiative and implement the commitments it promotes, making transparency the norm in the fisheries sector.”
The Mombasa Declaration was developed with support from the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency and its partners, including academics and practitioners, who are working with governments to advance increased transparency and accountability in fisheries governance and management.
Through the Declaration, signatory countries commit to advancing concrete transparency reforms, including modernizing vessel registries, publishing fishing authorizations, and strengthening information-sharing to support enforcement and accountability across fisheries sectors. IUU fishing is a pervasive global challenge that undermines coastal communities, distorts markets, and weakens sound ocean governance. Experts estimate this costs the global economy up to $50 billion annually, while depriving legitimate fishers—particularly in low- and middle-income countries—of income and access to resources.
IUU fishing contributes to declining fish stocks, threatening food security and livelihoods, and is often linked to serious human rights abuses, including unsafe working conditions and forced labor. Limited transparency in vessel ownership, tracking, and fishing activity and supply chains allows these practices to persist, making stronger access to reliable fisheries data and accountability mechanisms essential to protecting marine ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.
