Interagency workshop on PSMA implementation held in Indonesia
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) conducted an interagency workshop in Indonesia in December 2024, to further strengthen the effective implementation of the FAO Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA) in the country. The workshop involved participants from fisheries, ports, health quarantine, customs, immigration and other authorities. It was held in the port of Benoa (Bali), which sees the highest number of visits in Indonesia by foreign vessels, and concluded in Jakarta.
The workshop aimed to provide technical assistance to enhance information exchange within Indonesia’s existing national procedures as well as with other States and actors, through the use of the PSMA Global Information Exchange System (GIES) and the FAO Global Record of Fishing Vessels, Refrigerated Transport Vessels and Supply Vessels.
The workshop also reviewed the physical and digital operations of each agency in implementing national measures related to port State measures, focusing on interagency coordination and maximizing the impact of their efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Ideas raised at the workshop will be advanced through ongoing interagency discussions, as Indonesia continues to commit itself to effectively implement the PSMA, in line with the PSMA’s “Bali Strategy” adopted at the fourth Meeting of the Parties hosted by Indonesia in 2023.
The workshop concluded with the agreement of a roadmap for potential improvement opportunities to strengthen Indonesia’s implementation of the PSMA. Specific initiatives include the use of new functions of the GIES, such as the Advance Request for Port Entry (ARPE) module, as well as upgrading aspects of the port entry and inspection procedures which are currently being conducted manually.
The workshop was made possible through funding by the European Union under the Sixth PSMA Global Capacity Development Programme Support Project.