Cape Town Agreement draws closer to entering force

New Zealand has become to latest country to accede to the 2012 Cape Town Agreement to establish mandatory safety requirements for fishing vessels of 24 metres in length and over. 

The Agreement is an amendment to the Torremolinos International Convention for the Safety of Fishing Vessels, which was adopted in 1977 but never entered into force due to insufficient ratifications. The Cape Town Agreement updates and modernizes the provisions of the Torremolinos Protocol and seeks to address the specific safety concerns associated with fishing operations.

Key provisions of the Cape Town Agreement include comprehensive safety standards, inspection and certification, control measures and training and vessel safety information. 

The Cape Town Agreement will enter into force 12 months after at least 22 states, with a combined fishing vessel fleet of 3,600 or more vessels, have acceded. 

ARK is pleased with this development as the ARK Commitment encourages Members to implement the Torremolinos (now, Cape Town) Protocol.