Inadequate cooperation and collaboration contributes to a high incidence of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Weak monitoring capacity in many countries of the EA-SA-IO region has created situation where IUU fishing activities are growing steadily that result in loss of revenue and overfishing problems. The situation in the region is exacerbated by ineffective monitoring of the fishing activities and of the traceability of the fisheries products, allowing IUU caught fish to reach easily the markets. The prosecution systems and legal regimes are inadequately provided with human and financial resources. These gaps have considerably weakened the capacity to fully realize the socio-economic benefits associated with a rational exploitation of the marine fisheries resources.

The other challenge which must be addressed is the compliance of the parties to the national legislation and regional fisheries management organisations. Many countries involved in fishing activities in the region do not comply with the founding principles of the international agreements they have subscribed to. Flag of convenience continues to be a common practice. The flagged fishing vessels often have no genuine link with the flag state, failing to ensure the monitoring and the reporting of such vessel activities until evidence that they infringe the laws and regulations of other coastal states. Fishing authorisations continue to be issued to private companies with no cooperation with their flag state as prescribed in the UNCLOS to monitor their compliance and fishing activities.

In responding to the above challenges, the EA-SA-IO region aim to strengthen/establish fisheries MCS mechanisms in the regional fisheries sector. This will be done through expanding on existing inter-governmental cooperation mechanisms between coastal countries to implement the regional joint action plans (deterrent laws and regulations in place, sustainable national capacities in place to monitor and control the fishing activities in their waters); coordinating and hosting the regional database exchange systems, the deployment of joint patrols and joint inspections in the fishing waters and in the landing areas or ports, in the market places and in the major trade centres within the cooperation areas; performing risk analysis relating to the most important conservation and management measures enforcement challenges ahead for each and every fishery (artisanal and industrial) targeting the species covered within the RFOs' Agreements; effective monitoring of the fishing activities and of the traceability of the fisheries products, to deter access market by IUU caught fish; supporting the strengthening of prosecution systems and legal regimes in combatting IUU fishing; and fostering compliance of the parties to the national legislation and regional fisheries management organisations.