A Global Workshop
The Mission of the IMCS Network to strengthen and enhance fisheries MCS, compliance and enforcement by promoting and facilitating effective communication, collaboration, coordination, and capacity development across our community. The Global Fisheries Enforcement Training Workshop or GFETW is one of our key initiatives to deliver on our Mission.
The GFETW is the only global event of its type and it has grown significantly since the first Workshop that was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2005.
At that time, the Workshop was focused on fisheries law enforcement officers and low-cost, low-tech approaches to fisheries MCS. Since then, the Workshop has expanded to encompass a broader fisheries MCS and compliance community including from NGOs, IGOs and academic institutions. There has also been a growing focus on new and emerging technologies and how these might be accessed and applied to support fisheries MCS. In recognition of the growing interest in new and emerging technologies, 2016, the Network joined forces with the Seafood and Fisheries Emerging Technology (SAFET) initiative to hold the SAFET Conference and the GFETW back-to-back.
Following the first GFETW held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2005 the Workshop has been held regularly since then. The GFETW was previously hosted in Trondheim, Norway in 2008, in Maputo, Mozambique in 2011, in San José, Costa Rica in 2014, Auckland, New Zealand in 2016 and Bangkok, Thailand in 2019. During the years of the Covid-19 Pandemic, the Network hosted the first Virtual GFETW in 2021. In 2023, the Network, held the 7th GFETW in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
2021 - Illuminating the unknowns
The theme of the 2021 Virtual GFETW was Illuminating the unknowns – Global cooperation to eliminate the “U’s” from IUU fishing. The Virtual GFETW focused on an interactive format highlighting three interactive panel discussions on emerging MCS areas of interest or challenges. The Workshop included MCS papers, presentations, and short videos relevant to the Workshop themes: cooperation and partnerships, risk assessment and analysis, technology as an enabler, and transparency. The Workshop had over 300 participants from a range of national, regional and international organizations and agencies.
2019 - Closing the Net
The theme of the 2019 GFETW was Closing the Net: Global cooperation between flag, coastal, port and market States for effective enforcement of international and domestic law. The 2019 GFETW covered topics including international and regional cooperation, emerging technologies in MCS, implementation of the PSMA, analyzing and sharing MCS data and intelligence, IUU risk assessment frameworks, “Chasing the Thunder” presentation and roundtable, capacity building for better enforcement action, improved compliance in RFMOs and the monitoring and control of transshipment. The Workshop had over 150 participants from a range of national, regional and international organisations and agencies.
