International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing2026 · Date · History · Messages · Quotes
A/RES/72/72
About International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing
The International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing is observed on 5 June. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the day through resolution A/RES/72/72, adopted on 5 December 2017.
The observance draws attention to fishing that violates laws, escapes reporting systems or operates outside effective regulation and to the international cooperation needed to protect fisheries, ecosystems and legitimate livelihoods.
Why International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing matters
Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing can undermine fisheries management, distort markets and threaten food security and the livelihoods of communities that depend on sustainably managed fish stocks.
The day is most useful when it connects public awareness with concrete tools such as port-state controls, vessel information, monitoring, enforcement and cooperation between flag, coastal, port and market States.
History of International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing
The General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean proposed an initiative in 2015 to create an international day against IUU fishing. FAO’s Committee on Fisheries endorsed the proposal, and the FAO Conference adopted Resolution 9/2017 on 7 July 2017.
On 5 December 2017, the General Assembly adopted A/RES/72/72, proclaimed 5 June as the International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing and invited FAO to serve as lead agency for the day.
The day was celebrated for the first time on 5 June 2018. The date was selected because the FAO Agreement on Port State Measures entered into force on 5 June 2016.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), with the proposal subsequently endorsed by FAO’s Committee on Fisheries
FAO states that the GFCM proposed the initiative in 2015 and that the Committee on Fisheries endorsed it before the FAO Conference advanced the proposal.
United Nations General Assembly
UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/72/72
First documented observance
FAO explicitly identifies 5 June 2018 as the first International Day for the Fight against IUU Fishing.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
General Assembly meeting coverage and FAO sources identify FAO as the lead agency for the observance.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
2 fields not established in reviewed sources
How to Observe International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing
Learn how the Port State Measures Agreement is designed to prevent vessels engaged in IUU fishing from using ports and landing catches.
Trace the seafood information available in a local market or restaurant and distinguish verified traceability information from assumptions about sustainability.
Review an official fisheries-management case to understand the roles of vessel monitoring, catch documentation, inspections and enforcement.
Support organizations or community programmes that promote legal, transparent and sustainable fisheries rather than treating individual consumers as the only point of responsibility.
International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing Facts
The International Day for the Fight against IUU Fishing is observed every year on 5 June.
The General Assembly proclaimed the day through resolution A/RES/72/72 on 5 December 2017.
The proposal originated within the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean and was endorsed through FAO’s Committee on Fisheries and Conference.
FAO serves as the lead agency for the observance.
5 June was selected because the Agreement on Port State Measures entered into force on 5 June 2016, and the first observance took place on 5 June 2018.
International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing Messages
May International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing inspire curiosity about the living world and thoughtful action to protect it.
Celebrate International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing by learning from credible conservation sources and choosing one practical way to reduce harm or support protection.
Wishing everyone marking International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing a day of discovery, respect for nature and care that continues beyond today.
On International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing, may appreciation for the natural world lead to informed stewardship and practical care for the places and species around us.
International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing Quotes
“For the PSMA to be very effective, we need every country onboard.”
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
Food and Agriculture Organization — Conference 2017 report / Resolution 9/2017 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations Digital Library — A/RES/72/72 (opens in a new tab)
Food and Agriculture Organization — first observance, 5 June 2018 (opens in a new tab)
Food and Agriculture Organization — International Day against IUU fishing (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — General Assembly meeting coverage (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — List of International Days and Weeks (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — Observances: who chooses them and how (opens in a new tab)
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing?
5 June The documented recurrence rule is: 5 June.
Does International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: United Nations / international observance. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing?
The reviewed sources identify United Nations General Assembly as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), with the proposal subsequently endorsed by FAO’s Committee on Fisheries. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Is International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing international or country-specific?
The documented scope is international or global: United Nations / international observance. That does not mean every country treats the date as a public holiday or observes it in the same way.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-05.
Why is the IUU Fishing Day observed on 5 June?
FAO states that 5 June was chosen because the Agreement on Port State Measures, the first binding international agreement specifically targeting IUU fishing, entered into force on 5 June 2016.
When was the international day established?
The UN General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/72/72 on 5 December 2017 and proclaimed 5 June as the annual observance.
Who leads the observance?
The General Assembly invited the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to serve as lead agency for the day.
Other observances on June 5
These observances are also listed on June 5, 2027.
National Black Bear Day
The National Black Bear Festival states that it secured the National Black Bear Day designation and that the day is celebrated on the first Saturday in June each year.
National Prairie Day
The Missouri Prairie Foundation says it founded National Prairie Day in 2016 and observes it annually on the first Saturday in June; its current 2026 programme identifies 6 June 2026.
National Trails Day®
American Hiking Society says it conceived National Trails Day in 1991 and launched the first event on 5 June 1993; current organizer material keeps the recurrence on the first Saturday in J…
National Veggie Burger Day
National Day Calendar attributes the observance to Amy’s Kitchen and June 5, while Amy’s own 2017 release calls that year the second annual celebration. The lifecycle conflict is preserved…
World Environment Day
A/RES/2994 (XXVII)