Don't follow trends, start trends: PSMA implementation and port state performance from 2017 to 2023

This analysis of the 2023 global AIS-based fishing vessel port entry dataset, previously conducted for 2017 and 2020, assesses the progress and impact of the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA). The PSMA targets IUU fishing by regulating port access for fishing vessels, supporting monitoring and enforcement. This assessment covers some 2.1 million fishing vessel port calls, determining the risk of IUU fishing derived products passing through ports, and ranking ports in terms of vessel traffic and risk. The global AIS-fitted fishing fleet almost doubled to 107,433 vessels since 2017, with China's global share decreasing from 62% in 2017 to 55% in 2023. Following disruptions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, activity patterns largely returned to their pre-2020 profiles. Foreign vessel visits represent an ever-diminishing fraction of port entries of the global fleet, suggesting a need to increasingly focus PSM efforts on both foreign and domestic vessels. Port State risk has dropped significantly from 2020 to 2023 across both PSMA parties and non-parties, indicating the PSMA's impact is becoming globally palpable. The Near East and Asia are the two weakest world regions when it comes to adhering to the PSMA and combatting port State risk. Quality of governance – of port States receiving and flag States visiting ports – remains a key driver of port State risk, with high-risk vessels shown to seeking out weak port States. Recommendations include the need to strengthen measures for domestic vessels, to prioritize high-risk regions and to refine methodologies to address data asymmetries relating to evolving AIS adoption.