Fisheries Monitoring

Port side fish monitoring is normally a responsibility of the fisheries control officer (FCO) deployed by the state to ensure compliance. However, due to capacity and work load, fisheries monitors are necessary to ensure 100% monitoring for all vessels discharging the catch. Port side monitoring is another way of ensuring the protection of our marine living resources.

The monitors undergo intensive training including vessel inspection protocols, offloading processes, monitoring of actual transhipment/off-loading of the fishing vessels, and adherence to health and safety standards. The monitors need a certain level of competency to conduct dockside monitoring, fish identification, and sample collection. It is essential to ensure that the monitors are informed of the guiding acts and agreements including the MLRA, PSMA, and RFMOs management measures.

The monitors are not law enforcement agents, and it must be clear that they must report on the non-compliance(s) observed during the monitoring session.