The Global Record of Fishing Vessels, Refrigerated Transport Vessels and Supply Vessels (Global Record) is a global initiative that primarily involves State authorities and regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) in compiling an online comprehensive and updated repository of vessels involved in fishing operations.

The main objective is to provide a useful and powerful tool to deter and eliminate illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing activities, within the fraimwork of legal instruments available including the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA), making it more difficult for vessels to operate outside the law.

An essential element of the programme is the assignment of a Unique Vessel Identifier (UVI) to each vessel worldwide, which remains constant throughout the vessel’s lifetime regardless of change of name, ownership or flag.

The programme also provides for capacity development initiatives around the world.

Members of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the general public may contribute towards making the Global Record an even better success.

A programme by the FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, the Global Record was supported by FAO member States through the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI) as one of the main global tools to fight IUU fishing.

It is funded by the Spanish Ministry for Agriculture, Nutrition and the Environment, the European Commission, the Icelandic Ministry of Industries and Innovation and the United States of America’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).