Progress report for
SEAFDEC Initiatives Toward Sustainable Development of Fisheries in ASEAN Region
Achievement at a glance
Targeting SDG14_target 14.4: SEAFDEC in collaboration with its Member countries developed the strategy against IUU fishing through the regional cooperation endorsed by ASEAN as follows:1) Adopted ASEAN Guidelines for Preventing the Entry of Fish and Fishery Products from IUU Fishing Activities into the Supply Chain;
2) Adopted ASEAN Catch Documentation Scheme for Marine Capture Fisheries as a tool to enhance the traceability of fish and fishery product;
3) Supported regional cooperation strategy to support on implementation of the port State measures to prevent the IUU fishing vessels active among the ASEAN Member States;
4) Established Regional Fishing Vessel Record (RFVR) for Vessel of 24m in length and over in Southeast Asia as a tool to combat IUU Fishing occurred among ASEAN Member States.
5) Developed electronic system of the ASEAN Catch Documentation Scheme for marine capture fisheries (in process);
6) Adopted Regionalization of the Plan of Action for Managing Fishing Capacity based on the IPOA-Capacity.
7) Provided platforms for bilateral dialogue on specific cooperation and management of transboundary species in the sub-regional areas such as Gulf of Thailand, and Andaman Sea.
In addition, SEAFDEC promote a responsible fishing practices, develop and implement science-based management plan through the cooperation such as:
1) Adopted Regional Plan of Action for Sustainable Utilization of Neritic Tunas in the Southeast Asia;
2) Established Scientific Working Group on Stock Assessment for Neritic Tunas, then later expansion to all important economically small pelagic species;
Developing the Regional Action Plan for management of Short mackerel in Gulf of Thailand Sub-region
Challenges faced in implementation
1) Irresponsible fishing gear and methods are existed. Improvement and modification of fishing gears and methods particularly bottom trawl net and others destructive gears are needed to reduce the serious impacts on marine ecosystem particularly seabed environment;2) Strengthening regional cooperation through the implementation of the ASEAN Catch Documentation Scheme with aims to prevent the entry of IUU fish and fishery product into the supply chains:
3) Strengthening regional cooperation on regional stock assessment of shared stock small pelagic fishes;
Beneficiaries
All ASEAN Member States (10 Countries) namely Brunei Darussalam, CAMBODIA, INDONESIA, MALAYSIA, MYANMAR, PHILIPPINES, SINGAPORE, THAILAND AND Viet Nam.
Actions
1) Supported Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Viet Nam, and Myanmar in the process of implementation of eACDS funded by Government of Japan, Sweden and UASID/DOI. While Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand are developing the national catch certification scheme to enhance the traceability system and combating IUU fishing.
2) Supported all ASEAN member states in Implementing the 11 key measures of the Adopted ASEAN/SEAFDEC Declaration for Combating IUU fishing and Enhancing the Computability of fish and fishery product in the ASEAN region;
3) Provided the capacity building to AMS on the Port State Measures while strengthened cooperation and network
4) Established 12 of 15 Fisheries Refugia in 6 countries in the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand;
5) Builded the awareness on Threats from fisheries on the marine ecosystems and environment.