African nations are urged to act swiftly against illegal fishing, costing the continent an estimated $11 billion, following the launch of the Mombasa Declaration at the Our Ocean Conference.

• The declaration aims to formalize political commitment from over 10 countries to implement fisheries transparency measures, transitioning from debate to global action.
• Key stakeholders include ministers, policymakers, political partners, and small-scale fishers.
• This initiative seeks to integrate practical transparency measures into legislation and enforcement to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which threatens livelihoods and food security.