Saudi Arabia Joins UN Agreement to Combat Overfishing

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has officially joined the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) agreement aimed at preventing, deterring, and eliminating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The agreement strengthens the Kingdom's efforts to protect marine biodiversity and ensure global environmental sustainability.

The Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture will help combat illegal fishing while supporting local regulatory agencies in monitoring and tracking fishing vessels. The agreement also facilitates coordination between national authorities in charge of fisheries, the environment, and ports, and imposes strict penalties on national vessels involved in illegal activities.

The agreement aims to improve international cooperation, provide technical support to developing countries to curb IUU fishing, and enhance global fishery management. It also prevents non-compliant vessels from entering ports or exporting products to international markets, further contributing to the protection of marine biodiversity.