FAO Headquarters, Rome, 11 July 2016: Ambassador Tana Weskosith, representative of the Kingdom of Thailand attend a Special Event on the occasion of the entry in force of the Port State Measures Agreement to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (PSMA).  

           This Special Event was presided over by Mr. José Graziano da Silva, Director-General of FAO. Among high-ranked attendants, are His Excellency Mr. Alpha Condé, President of Guinea Republic, Mr. João Aguiar Machado, Director-General for Maritime Affairs Fisheries of the European Commission (DG MARE), H.E. Fuad bin Ja’afar bin Mohamed Al-Sajwani, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries of Oman, H.E. Ms. Susi Pudjiastuti, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of Indonesia, Honorable Sabato Caesar, Minister for Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and Rural Transformation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

          Thailand presented its instrument of accession to PSMA to the Director-General of the FAO on 6 May 2016, and hence become Party of the Agreement.  The accession of Thailand, along with 3 other countries, are considered as group of countries that presented the 25th instrument of/accession/ratification, which according the stipulation of the PSMA, enabled the PSAM to enter into force on 5 June 2016. 

           Accession of the Kingdom of Thailand to the PSMA confirmed its strong commitment to the long term conservation and sustainable use of living maritime resources and marine ecosystem as well as to combat the illegal , unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.  

           PSMA is the first agreement that aims at eliminating illegal fishing. It has now 34 Parties . More details about the PSMA can be obtained at http://www.fao.org/fishery/psm/agreement/en (In English)

           This special event was held during the annual meeting of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) of FAO.