The UK Government has ratified the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Cape Town Agreement, a major ocean treaty that seeks to protect fishers' safety at sea, advance fisheries transparency and help deter illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
The UK has become the first state to ratify the IMO Cape Town Agreement since its full ratification in February 2026.
The international treaty establishes global minimum safety standards for large commercial fishing vessels (24 metres and above) that can operate on the high seas. These cover key parameters such as vessel stability and seaworthiness, fire safety, life-saving appliances, emergency procedures and radio communications.
"The UK has now ratified all three treaties aiming to fight IUU fishing; by doing so, it has successfully achieved Principle VIII of the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency on the international IUU treaty framework, and positions itself as a clear international leader promoting safe, legal and sustainable fishing," said Vivien Deloge, UK Coordinator of the NGO network Coalition for Fisheries Transparency.
The Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency is a set of ten principles aiming to address the lack of transparency in three critical areas: vessel information, fishing activity, and fisheries governance and management. The UK has been a supporter of the charter since October 2024.
The IMO earlier said that the Cape Town Agreement will enter into force in February 2027, 12 months after at least 22 states, collectively representing 3,600 qualifying fishing vessels, typically ocean-going ships operating on the high seas, consented to being bound by the treaty.
