Article 20 Role of flag States

Each Party shall require the vessels entitled to fly its flag to cooperate with the port State in inspections carried out pursuant to this Agreement.

When a Party has clear grounds to believe that a vessel entitled to fly its flag has engaged in IUU fishing or fishing related activities in support of such fishing and is seeking entry to or is in the port of another State, it shall, as appropriate, request that State to inspect the vessel or to take other measures consistent with this Agreement.

Each Party shall encourage vessels entitled to fly its flag to land, transship, package and process fish, and use other port services, in ports of States that are acting in accordance with, or in a manner consistent with this Agreement. Parties are encouraged to develop, including through regional fisheries management organisations and FAO, fair, transparent and non-discriminatory procedures for identifying any State that may not be acting in accordance with, or in a manner consistent with, this Agreement.

Where, following port State inspection, a flag State Party receives an inspection report indicating that there are clear grounds to believe that a vessel entitled to fly its flag has engaged in IUU fishing or fishing related activities in support of such fishing, it shall immediately and fully investigate the matter and shall, upon sufficient evidence, take enforcement action without delay in accordance with its laws and regulations.

Each Party shall, in its capacity as a flag State, report to other Parties, relevant port States and, as appropriate, other relevant States, regional fisheries management organisations and FAO on actions it has taken in respect of vessels entitled to fly its flag that, as a result of port State measures taken pursuant to this Agreement, have been determined to have engaged in IUU fishing or fishing related activities in support of such fishing.

Each Party shall ensure that measures applied to vessels entitled to fly its flag are at least as effective in preventing, deterring, and eliminating IUU fishing and fishing related activities in support of such fishing as measures applied to vessels referred to in paragraph 1 of Article 3.