42nd NEAFC Annual Meeting Confirms The Bahamas As Active Cooperating Non-Party For 2024

The 42nd Annual Meeting of the North-East Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) took place in London on 13-17 November 2023. The Bahamas delegation, led by BMA CEO Captain Dwain Hutchinson and BMA Technical & Compliance Officer Arie, Durbazevs, participated in the Annual Meeting sessions in the capacity of observer.

The Commission agreed by a majority vote to renew the Bahamas’ Active Cooperating Non-Party status for 2024. The decision will pave the way for the Owners and Operators of NEAFC-approved Bahamian ships to retain authorisation to engage in transhipment of NEAFC Conventional fisheries resources in 2024. The ongoing cooperation with NEAFC also promotes the Bahamas’ non-compromising position to tackle illegal, unreported and unregulated fisheries practices on the global scale.

In 2023 there were 56 refrigerated cargo carriers authorised to undertake NEAFC regulatory cargoes transhipment and transportation. The existing NEAFC authorisations also allow our ships to undertake fisheries resources direct transhipment in the waters of Norway.

The high number of enrolments is a confirmation of The Bahamas’ status as a key player in responsible fisheries operations around the world ensuring it remains an attractive flag for reefer ship owners. Continuous cooperation with NEAFC in 2024 and the subsequent authorisation to carry NEAFC cargoes with uninterrupted access to the EU market remains a distinct advantage to responsible owners and operators of refrigerated cargo carriers who flag with the Bahamas.