Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is a worldwide phenomenon which contributes to the depletion of fish stocks and jeopardises protection and recovery measures put in place to ensure the viability of resources. It represents unfair competition for those who exploit fish resources legally.

Strong measures have already been taken to combat IUU fishing at national, regional and international levels. In particular, a major step forward against this practice has been the adoption of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1005/2008 of 29 September 2008 to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing, which entered into force on 1 January 2010.

This IUU Regulation is a transparent and non discriminatory instrument applying to all fishing vessels, under any flag, which seeks to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing, in all maritime waters, in as much as derived products are traded with the EU or EU nationals are involved in IUU fishing.

According to the founding regulation establishing the Community Fisheries Control Agency part of the mission of the Agency is to coordinate the operations to combat IUU fishing in conformity with Community rules. Furthermore, the new Control Regulation establishes that the EFCA has to assist in the uniform implementation of the control system of the common fisheries policy, including in particular the organisation of operational coordination of control activities by Member States for the implementation of..., control programmes related to IUU fishing...

In this framework, the EFCA has to assist the European Commission and the Member States in the fight against IUU fishing, and thus in the application of this Regulation. With this regard, the European Commission has designated the EFCA as the body to carry out certain tasks assigned through Commission Decision 2009/988/EU of 18 December 2009. These tasks are:

• To transmit notifications on denials of landing or transhipment authorisations by third country vessels to flag State(s) and, if appropriate, copies of these notifications to Regional Fisheries Management Organizations
  
• Upon request from the Commission, provide for the conduct of on-the-spot audits, alone or in cooperation with the Commission, to verify the effective implementation of agreed cooperation arrangements with third countries
  
• To communicate to Member States and flag States additional information submitted by the Member States to the Commission which is relevant for the establishment of the European Union IUU vessel list
  
• To transmit sightings reports to all Member States and, if appropriate, to the Executive Secretary of the relevant RFMO
• To transmit to the Executive Secretary of the relevant RFMO information from a Member State in response to a sighting report on one of its vessels from a contracting party to that RFMO

Training is crucial for the correct functioning of the whole system and the correct and uniform application of the IUU Regulation. Such measures do not only have to focus on Member States' officials, but are also important for Third Countries' Authorities. In this context the EFCA carries out different initiatives, in close cooperation with the European Commission and the Member States authorities:

• Organization of training workshops for Member States' authorities for a more efficient and uniform implementation of the IUU Regulation;
  
• Participation of the EFCA in Member States' national training seminars on the IUU Regulation,
  
• Participation in international workshops on IUU and, if requested by the European Commission, organization of training for Third Country authorities.
  

All the activities organised by the EFCA are closely coordinated with the European Commission and the Member States. A Working Group composed by representatives from all Member States and from the European Commission was established to this end, which steers the activities and discusses future developments.

The current structure of the EFCA in this area is composed of a Desk Manager for IUU and 4 IUU Coordinators.