POLICY AND PRACTICE REVIEWS article
Front. Mar. Sci.
Sec. Marine Affairs and Policy
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fmars.2025.1690824
This article is part of the Research TopicAdvances in Marine Environmental Protection: Challenges, Solutions and Perspectives Volume IIView all 58 articles
China's Ratification of the Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing: Driving Factors, Challenges and Pathways
Provisionally accepted
- China Institute for Marine Affairs, Beijing, China
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Following years of preparatory efforts and evaluation, China formally acceded to the Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (PSMA) on April 16, 2025, marking a pivotal advancement in its ongoing campaign against IUU fishing and the conservation of marine fisheries. This study examines China's strategic motivations for joining the PSMA, identifies implementation challenges, and proposes actionable solutions to amplify its role as a responsible fisheries nation within the PSMA framework. Findings indicate that China's accession aligns with its national agenda to modernize distant-water fisheries under the "ecological civilization" paradigm, aiming to bolster its influence in global fisheries governance, strengthen multilateral cooperation, and advance contributions to sustainable use of fishery resources. The analysis reveals persistent challenges in four domains: (1) incomplete domestic legal frameworks to meet PSMA obligations; (2) insufficient port-state management systems and enforcement capacities; (3) fragmented international coordination mechanisms; and (4) structural conflicts between industrial expansion and sustainability goals. To address these, the study advocates a dual-track strategy. Domestically, priorities include legal and institutional reforms to harmonize with PSMA requirements, enhanced capacity building, and industry modernization. Internationally, China should lead in establishing regional port -state coordination platforms, institutionalize data-sharing partnerships, and promote equitable rulemaking within PSMA. These measures would enhance compliance while advancing China's dual objectives of fostering sustainable fisheries and solidifying its reputation as a responsible global fishing power.
Keywords: PSMA, Port state, Ecological civilization, IUU fishing, International Cooperation
Received: 22 Aug 2025; Accepted: 06 Oct 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Chen and Wang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Lei Wang, leiw95@163.com
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