The EC has awarded Ghana a so-called yellow card for fishing

The European Commission (EC) has issued a yellow card reprimand to African Ghana. According to the official website of the European Union's executive body, this step is due to various shortcomings regarding Ghana's ability to fulfill its obligations under international law as a flag, port, coastal or market state. Ghana is now at risk of becoming a non-cooperating country in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. "The Commission shall apply a zero-tolerance approach to IUU fishing. Ghana plays an important role in fisheries management in West Africa. We are therefore ready to work with Ghana to address the threats that IUU fishing poses to the sustainability of fish stocks, coastal communities, food security and the profits of compliant fishermen. Sustainable fisheries are the key to better governance of the oceans, "said Virginijus Sinkevičius, Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. According to the Commission's report, the shortcomings identified include illegal transhipments of large numbers of juveniles of undersized pelagic species at sea between industrial trawlers and canoes in Ghanaian waters, shortcomings in fleet monitoring, control and surveillance and the legal framework, which is not in line with the relevant international obligations to which Ghana has committed itself. Already in November 2013, Ghana received a so-called yellow card, which was canceled in October 2015 after the West African state eliminated the shortcomings. The yellow card is a warning and offers Ghana the opportunity to respond to the situation and take remedial action within a reasonable timeframe. At this stage, the decision does not entail any measures that would affect trade. However, in the event of long-term and persistent non-compliance, countries may ultimately face an identification procedure (the so-called red card), which includes sanctions such as a ban on exporting fishery products to the EU market.