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Mombasa, Kenya – 17 June 2026 – Liberia today joined fourteen other national governments from across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, and the Pacific in adopting the Mombasa Declaration at the 11th Our Ocean Conference, committing to advance fisheries transparency and strengthen efforts to combat Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.
The Mombasa Declaration is a call to action for coastal and flag States on fisheries transparency, with a particular focus on improving the collection and dissemination of vessel information and expanding access to fisheries data. The declaration builds support and momentum for the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency, which outlines ten low-cost and no-cost policy principles that governments can adopt in law and practice to improve fisheries governance.
Liberia joined a diverse coalition of countries endorsing the declaration, including Belgium, Cameroon, Chile, the Dominican Republic, France (on behalf of its overseas territories), The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Republic of the Congo, Somalia, and South Korea. Together, these nations have committed to strengthening ocean governance and advancing global action on fisheries transparency.
The adoption of the declaration marks the beginning of implementation efforts by signatory countries and launches a campaign encouraging additional nations to join the initiative ahead of the next Our Ocean Conference in 2027.
Coastal communities, small-scale fishers, and economies that depend on marine resources continue to bear the burden of IUU fishing, which threatens livelihoods, food security, and the long-term health of ocean ecosystems. The Mombasa Declaration responds to these challenges by promoting practical transparency measures that improve access to information on vessel ownership, licensing, and fishing activities, while strengthening accountability and supporting sustainable and equitable management of marine resources.
By endorsing the declaration, Liberia reaffirms its commitment to sustainable fisheries management and regional cooperation in combating illegal fishing. The declaration supports ongoing efforts to strengthen fisheries governance, improve transparency in the sector, and ensure that marine resources contribute to national development and food security.
The Mombasa Declaration was developed with support from the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency and its partners, including academics and fisheries practitioners working with governments worldwide to promote transparency and accountability in fisheries governance and management.
Through the declaration, signatory countries commit to advancing concrete reforms, including modernizing vessel registries, publishing fishing authorizations, and strengthening information-sharing mechanisms that support enforcement and accountability across fisheries sectors.
IUU fishing remains a significant global challenge that undermines coastal communities, distorts markets, and weakens ocean governance. Experts estimate that IUU fishing costs the global economy up to US$50 billion annually while depriving legitimate fishers—particularly in low- and middle-income countries—of income and access to resources. It contributes to declining fish stocks, threatens food security and livelihoods, and is often associated with serious human rights abuses, including unsafe working conditions and forced labor.
Limited transparency in vessel ownership, tracking, fishing activities, and seafood supply chains allows these practices to persist. Increased access to reliable fisheries data and stronger accountability mechanisms are therefore essential to protecting marine ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.
The endorsement of the Mombasa Declaration by Liberia and fourteen other countries sends a strong signal of growing international commitment to transparency, accountability, and sustainable fisheries management. The signatory countries represent a diverse range of economies and geographies, demonstrating that momentum for fisheries transparency is truly global.
About the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency
The Coalition for Fisheries Transparency is a global network of more than fifty civil society organizations working together to improve transparency and accountability in fisheries governance and management. The coalition advances the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency, a set of ten low-cost and no-cost policy principles designed to ensure that information about vessels and fishing activity is widely available to promote responsible fisheries management, eliminate illegal practices, and protect human rights at sea.
