(20) In view of the considerations presented in this Section and on the basis of all factual elements gathered by the Commission as well as all the statements made by the country, it could be established, pursuant to Article 31(3), (4)(a) and (4)(b) of the IUU Regulation, that Liberia failed to discharge its duties under international law as a flag, port, coastal and market State in respect of IUU vessels and IUU fishing carried out or supported by vessels flying its flag or by its nationals and to prevent access of fisheries products stemming from IUU fishing to its market.

(21) While the fisheries authorities of Liberia were generally cooperative with the Commission and responded to requests for information and provided feedback, their capacity to reply to certain requests was limited by the status of the international vessel registry and the lack of cooperation between the Liberian Maritime Authority and the national fisheries authorities, as established in Section 3.1.

(22) Liberia is a significant flag State, operating the second largest international registry in the world attracting vessels from third countries with no direct link to the country. As explained in recital 16, these vessels operate beyond the EEZ of Liberia, on the high seas and in the waters of third countries. Liberia is also a member or party to six RFMOs and cooperates with other countries at sub-regional level through the Fishery Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC). However, the Commission found that the Liberian fisheries authorities do not appear to cooperate or to be in a position to cooperate with third countries in all regions where Liberian fishing vessels operate except in the east Atlantic. This apparent lack of cooperation subsists despite the fact Liberia is a member or party to six RFMOs, and may result from the fact that Liberia's fisheries authorities seem to have no information about vessels flying the flag of Liberia operating outside the national EEZ and the area under the responsibility of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, due to the lack of internal administrative coordination with the Liberian Maritime Authority registered vessels.