The Blue Enforcement project

Funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, under the Blue Justice initiative, the Blue Enforcement project responds to the need to cooperate and build capacity to address transnational organized crime in the fisheries industry.

The project's implementing partners are the Container Control Programme and UNODC's Global Maritime Crime Programme (GMCP.) Together, the two project programmes work to enhance the capacity of maritime law enforcement and customs agencies from Sri Lanka and the Maldives in response to crimes in the fisheries sector (CFS). The project is based on strong capacity building training and assistance to frontline level authorities which, in UNODC’s experience, is the most effective way to transfer and entrench skills in maritime law enforcement and criminal justice.

The focus of the Blue Enforcement project is mainly on:

Placing maritime law enforcement advisors within national maritime law enforcement agencies tackling CFS;
Increasing the knowledge and capacity to respond to CFS through training and sea operations;
Supporting the CCP PCUs already working in the Maldives and Sri Lanka;
Encouraging effective cross-agency coordination with regard to the response to CFS, and;
Strengthening networks for women working on CFS-related issues.

CCP's component under the Blue Enforcement project

CFS trainings under Blue Enforcement bring together customs, national police, navies, coast guards and fisheries authorities, resulting in much-needed increases in capacity, as well as crucial improvements in cooperation and communication between agencies that often lack regular communication and trust.

The Maldives and Sri Lanka are key partners in CCP’s CFS activities which have been provided to both countries on a regular basis since 2017. This includes technical assessments, national training workshops, mentorships, private sector awareness raising meetings and regional meetings. Based on the knowledge gained during the implementation of these activities, CCP views the Maldives and Sri Lanka as valuable allies in the fight against CFS and considers it essential to continue providing capacity building activities to enhance technical know-how and inter-agency cooperation.

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Blue Enforcement activities are currently supported by:

United Nations

Office on Drugs and Crime

The Blue Enforcement project

CCP's component under the Blue Enforcement project