15 countries in Kenya adopt the Mombasa Declaration to fight illegal fishing

Mombasa summit backs anti-illegal fishing pact

Fifteen countries adopted the Mombasa Declaration in Kenya on Tuesday, a new agreement aimed at fighting illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing through greater transparency in the global fisheries system.

The declaration was announced at the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa, the first time the gathering has been hosted by an African country. AP reported the signatories as Belgium, Cameroon, Chile, the Dominican Republic, France, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Republic of the Congo, Somalia and South Korea.

The countries agreed to improve access to information on fishing vessels, ownership and licensing, and to strengthen data sharing so regulators can track activity and enforce the rules more effectively.

Why it matters

Illegal fishing is a major threat to marine ecosystems and fish stocks, and it can undermine food security and livelihoods in coastal communities that depend on the sea.

The declaration also supports the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency, reflecting a wider push to make fishing authorizations and vessel registries easier to inspect and harder to hide.

Conservation groups including Global Fishing Watch and Oceana welcomed the agreement, while the signatories said the measures are meant to curb a problem that crosses borders and often evades enforcement.

Conference context

Kenya is hosting the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa from June 16 to 18, 2026, with illegal fishing among the issues on the agenda. AP reported that the declaration was adopted on June 17.

The Mombasa Declaration is expected to take effect immediately among the countries that signed it. Further signatories could still join before the next Our Ocean Conference in 2027.