The Government of Kenya and the U.S. have agreed to impose visa restrictions on foreign nationals linked to illegal fishing operations worldwide.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

The agreement was reached at the 11th Our Ocean Conference (OOC11) held on June 16 to 18 in Mombasa, where the two nations joined hands to protect marine resources from exploitation.

This marks the first time the U.S. has ever used visa restrictions to specifically target individuals involved in Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated fishing, commonly known as IUU fishing, according to the U.S. Department of State.

“The United States also highlighted the first-ever use of visa restrictions targeting foreign nationals who are responsible for, complicit in, facilitating, or benefiting from IUU fishing and IUU fishing-related activities,” stated the U.S. Department of State.

📌 What You Need to Know

This agreement comes with a Ksh12.4 billion (USD96 million) maritime security commitment, all aimed at strengthening maritime security and promoting responsible fishing practices globally.

More than half of that figure, over Ksh6.7 billion (USD2 million), is directed specifically at countering IUU fishing across every major ocean basin affected by the crisis.

These visa restrictions will likely affect countries such as China, Russia, Iran, and Indonesia, which have been flagged for deploying illegal fishing fleets that operate far beyond their own waters, affecting ocean ecosystems worldwide.

The aforementioned nations are key trade partners with Kenya, and their cooperation is likely to affect current diplomatic stances and future bilateral agreements.

The mix also includes Panama, Libya, and Comoros, which have also come under scrutiny for operating ship registries that allow rogue fishing vessels to hide their identities and avoid accountability.

Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Ghana, Tanzania, Italy, and Spain have similarly been cited in global marine reports for violating international ocean regulations, raising concern among conservation bodies.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke