First virtual Global Fisheries Enforcement Training Workshop - Held online, 13–14 July 2021

Abstract

This document contains the proceedings of the IMCSNET’s first ever virtual GFETW, which took place online on 13–14 July 2021. Nearly 600 monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS) practitioners from around the world, as well as other fisheries stakeholders and organizations, registered to participate in the online conference, which consisted of a schedule of speakers, presentations, panel discussions, and interactive discussion rooms. In addition, the virtual platform software utilized for the GFETW facilitated the ability for participants to create and use private meeting rooms for networking sessions, as well as an online chatting function. One of the primary focuses of the IMCSNET is to increase fisheries MCS cooperation and collaboration between Member countries, especially with and between developing country Members. The virtual conference included participants from both developing and developed nations as well as stakeholder organizations involved in fisheries MCS. The overall theme of the virtual GFETW was “Illuminating the unknowns – Global cooperation to eliminate the “U’s” from Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing”. The GFETW focused on an interactive format highlighting three interactive panel discussions on emerging MCS areas of interest or challenges. The event also included MCS papers, presentations, and short videos relevant to one of the following four GFETW themes: cooperation and partnerships, risk assessment and analysis, technology as an enabler, and transparency.