At the 11th Our Ocean Conference (2026) in Mombasa, Kenya, 15 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Pacific adopted the Mombasa Declaration to intensify global action against illegal fishing. This topic is important for aspirants preparing for GS2 International Relations and marine governance issues through upsc online coaching.
Mombasa Declaration
• Signatories: Belgium, Cameroon, Chile, Dominican Republic, France, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Republic of Congo, Somalia, and South Korea.
• Focus: Combat Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, which threatens marine ecosystems and millions dependent on fisheries.
Calls For:
- Better information access on vessel ownership and licensing.
- Stronger data sharing to track fishing activities.
- Enhanced enforcement of regulations.
• Supports: Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency, which includes 10 policy principles for low-cost governance reforms like modernising vessel registries and publishing fishing authorisations.
Our Ocean Conference (OOC)
• Launched: 2014 by the U.S. Department of State under John Kerry.
• Purpose: Major platform uniting governments, NGOs, academia, and businesses for ocean sustainability.
• Focus Areas: Marine protected areas, sustainable blue economy, climate change, maritime security, sustainable fisheries, and marine pollution.
• Achievements: Over 2,600 commitments worth $160 billion since inception.
• 2026 OOC in Mombasa: First time held in Africa, themed “Our Ocean, Our Heritage, Our Future.”
Conclusion
The Mombasa Declaration marks a crucial step toward global fisheries transparency and sustainable ocean governance, ensuring that livelihoods and ecosystems are protected.
