The Report on the Ninth Meeting of the ASEAN-SEAFDEC Fisheries Consultative Group (FCG) was prepared by the Secretariat of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) in collaboration with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The ASEAN Co-Chair expressed his appreciation for the active participation and contribution of member states at the meeting.
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
OPENING SPEECH
AGENDA
- Existing Programs a
- Proposed New Programs for the Year 2007
- Pipeline Programs d
- ASEAN- SEAFDEC
- ASEAN-SEAFDEC Collaboration in Sustainable Management of Fisheries Resources in the Southeast Asia Region
- ASEAN-SEAFDEC
REPORT OF THE PREPARATORY MEETING OF HIGH OFFICIALS OF THE TWENTY-EIGHTH MEETING OF ASEAN MINISTERS FOR AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY (PREPSOM – 28TH AMAF). SEAFDEC also expected that the implementation of the ASEAN-SEAFDEC Strategic Partnership (ASSP) would further strengthen cooperation between ASEAN and SEAFDEC and expressed its appreciation to SOM-AMAF for giving SEAFDEC the opportunity to participate in the 28th AMAF meeting. Following Dr. Siri's presentation, the Ministers noted the importance of sustainable fisheries development in ASEAN and expressed their appreciation to SEAFDEC for its contributions to ASEAN in the implementation of the ASEAN-SEAFDEC cooperation programs.
This is reflected in the excerpted sections of the official report from the 28th AMAF meeting as listed below. REPORT OF THE 28TH ASEAN MINISTERS' MEETING ON AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY (28TH AMAF). The meeting recognized the importance of sustainable fisheries development in ASEAN and expressed appreciation to SEAFDEC for her contribution to the implementation of the various ASEAN-SEAFDEC cooperative fisheries programmes.
The SEAFDEC Secretariat will liaise with the ASEAN Secretariat on a convenient date and place for the signing of the LOU for the ASSP. PROPOSED PROJECT UNDER THE ASEAN-SEAFDEC STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP (ASSP): TO ASSIST ASEAN IN THE INTEGRATION OF THE FISHERIES SECTOR. SEAFDEC would like to propose to ASEAN to jointly develop a draft proposal for assistance to ASEAN for the integration of the fisheries sector as a major collaborative project under the ASEAN-SEAFDEC Strategic Partnership (ASSP).
In the proposed project, SEAFDEC could propose to ASEAN to carry out a joint comprehensive study of the ASEAN Fisheries Sector Integration Plan.
EXECUTIVE REPORT ON INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES ISSUES 2006
INTRODUCTION
After reviewing the document, it is envisaged that ASEAN member states and SEAFDEC will express future directions and follow-up actions that will reflect regional interests and/or coordinated positions in regional/international forums and the expected roles and contributions of SEAFDEC to support member states in relevant areas.
CONTEXT/ISSUES Fisheries Subsidies
The RTC also took note of a planned study to be conducted by FAO at global level to collect information on sea cucumbers as a basis for technical inputs to the CITES Animals Committee (AC). The sea turtle management and conservation effort was seen as a good example of cooperation between ASEAN Member States and SEAFDEC in addressing issues related to endangered species within the broad framework of sustainable fisheries development. The FCG meeting is invited to take note of the proposed harmonized positions and propose future directions, including the roles and responsibilities of Member States and SEAFEC for future follow-up.
The award must be given to a person/organization with a significant contribution to the implementation of the code of conduct for responsible fishing. The meeting is encouraged to take note of the information and discuss follow-up measures from the member states and SEAFDEC regarding respective issues. Human Resource Development on Support for the Implementation of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries Management for the ASEAN Region”.
The SEAFDEC and Sida Collaborative Project was a four-year initiative to support human resource development activities/initiatives in SEAFDEC member countries to support the implementation of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF) for the ASEAN Region. The project supported the regional and national implementation of fisheries management issues contained in the CCRF through appropriate human resource development activities, including awareness and training activities. Disorganized policy for the development and management of coastal resource use and poor translation of policy into action.
The intended purpose and strategy for coastal resource management of the relevant agencies should be coherent and simple.
OBJECTIVES, OUTPUT, AND COURSE OF THE PROJECT
The project envisages various activities including preparation of training materials using the RCCRF, organization of Regional Technical Consultations related to fisheries human resource development and management of fishing capacity, organization of national on-site training/workshop on fisheries management in ASEAN- member states, translation of training manuals on fisheries management related to the RCCRF into national languages, and the collection of regional information on fisheries management and management of fishing capacity. In accordance with the establishment mechanism, the proposed project will be considered as one of the ASEAN/SEAFDEC cooperation project. Therefore, in addition to the above technical consultation, the project performance will be reviewed through the established collaborative mechanism: ASEAN/SEAFDEC Fisheries Consultative Group Meeting (FCG), in March every year in order to establish ownership of the project by ASEAN member countries. 3) Close cooperation with the ASEAN member states.
In order to ensure the sustainable implementation of the project, some activities, especially those implemented at the national level, such as on-the-spot trainings, will be carried out in accordance with the national priority program and on a cost-sharing basis at the practical level. Such an arrangement will first increase ownership of the project by individual ASEAN member states; second, maximize the use of project resources. In addition, in conjunction with the above policies, the project will continuously discuss with the ASEAN Member States and find a way to integrate the activities initiated by the project into the national human resource development program on the implementation of the RCCRF in the long term.
ACTIVITIES IMPLEMENTATION
Therefore, in addition to the above technical consultation, the project performance will be reviewed through the established cooperation mechanism: ASEAN/SEAFDEC Fisheries Consultative Group Meeting (FCG), in March every year in order to establish ownership of the project by ASEAN Member States. The RTC indicated two parallel tracks a) fisheries management (and habitat management) and b) on fishing capacity. In the regional consultations and expert meetings organized, it was made clear by the participants that "MHD in fisheries is specific to the national situation" and the project was recommended to start a "pilot process" in a representative set of countries.
The project process/pilot studies aim to improve fisheries resource management through effective implementation and regional application of the CCRF/RCCRF. This pilot process involves a sequence of meetings, workshops and field training in four countries, Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, addressing both fisheries management and fishing capacity issues. Organization of planning and consultation meetings for the pilot process in Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, February 9 – 10, 2005 (8 participants) and March 17, 2005 (16 participants).
Organization of planning meetings for pilot process in Thailand, Bangkok, 24 February 2005 (4 participants) and 28 June 2006 (15 participants).
MAJOR FINDINGS AND IMPLICATIONS
Awareness raising and capacity building, including information dissemination strategies, should be regularly monitored and improved to ensure their effectiveness. With the priority to integrate fisheries into habitat management – one of the thematic issues of the project – it is clear throughout the project implementation that dialogues between neighboring areas/countries for the management and conservation of habitats and transboundary resources need to be initiated and supported. through a cooperation mechanism. Human capacity building to support the establishment of fisheries refugia in SEA has been carried out since 2004 through cooperation and coordination with relevant initiatives/institutions such as MOFI-Vietnam, DOF-Cambodia, Ministry of Environment – Cambodia, UNEP/GEF South China Sea Program and IUCN/MPA-Vietnam.
For this, at the same time as the sequence of project implementation events organized in Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam, consultations were carried out with the local/province interested in the management of coastal habitats and fisheries with specific concepts for review and basic design to create of "Fisheries Refugia"; to clarify the connection of "Fisheries Refugia" in the context of coastal resource management; to identify needs and capacity building activities including HRD. 7 "Fisheries Refuge" in Southeast Asia is commonly understood as: "Spatially and geographically defined marine or coastal areas in which specific management measures are applied to support important species (fishery resources) during critical stages of their life cycle life, for their sustainable use". Suggested process for the establishment of the fishing refuge o Criteria for the selection/creation of the fishing refuge o Motivation for the creation of the fishing refuge.
Key stakeholders must be actively involved in the entire HRD process to ensure relevance of needs and selection of target groups. Available HRD resources and expertise across various relevant institutions/agencies need to be shared and fully mobilized.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE HRD FOR FISHERIES MANAGEMENT
- Priority areas for better planning and
- Policy, legal and institutional framework
- Fisheries in sustainable development and
- Cooperation and
Policy framework for sustainable development and management of coastal fisheries should be developed as a basis for actions to be taken at provincial and local levels, as well as for external project assistance and funding support. Fisheries must be integrated into sustainable development and management of coastal areas, which can be considered a long-term process. The main roles of the Department of Fisheries at central and local levels are to ensure sustainable fisheries resource utilization as well as management and conservation of critical coastal habitats.
Management and conservation of coastal resources, including endangered species, must be incorporated into the overall coastal development and management plan. Recognition has been made for the benefits of the traditional system (eg traditional management practices of Awig Awig in Lombok) and district models to be developed must. HRD should also include training in understanding the traditional systems and their relevance to the implementation of the CCRF.
In the framework of the management and conservation of habitats and transboundary resources, dialogues between neighboring areas/countries should be initiated and supported. The target objective and coastal resource management strategy of the concerned agencies should be linked and.
CLOSING SPEECH
