SEAFDEC attends ASEAN virtual Meetings on Fisheries

At the kind invitation of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) of Indonesia, SEAFDEC Secretary-General, Ms. Malinee Smithrithee and senior officials of SEAFDEC Secretariat, attended a series of ASEAN meetings, namely: 12^th ASEAN Shrimp Alliance (12^th ASA), 14^th Meeting of ASEAN Fisheries Consultative Forum (14^th AFCF), and 30^th Meeting of ASEAN Sectoral Working Group on Fisheries (30^th ASWGFi) on 20, 21, and 22–23 June 2022, respectively. 

During the 12^th ASA, the progress of activities under the Plan of Action of ASEAN Shrimp Alliance 2020–2025 was noted. Subsequently, during the 14^th AFCF Meeting, SEAFDEC provided updates on the progress of the implementation of its relevant activities in 2021 and planned activities in 2022 under fisheries priority areas, namely: fishing capacity and zoning system, securing sustainable small-scale fisheries, resource rehabilitation and enhancements, impacts of climate change on fisheries, combating IUU fishing, and traceability of fisheries and aquaculture products. Moreover, considering that the 13^th AFCF in 2021 agreed on seeking technical support from SEAFDEC to provide the regional platform for sharing of information in response to the U.S.  Marine Mammals Protection Act (U.S. MMPA), the results of the “Webinar on Regional Responses to the U.S. MMPA” organized by SEAFDEC on 2–3 November 2021 was reported to the 14^th AFCF.

As for the 30^th ASWGFi where SEAFDEC was invited to attend the open session, SEAFDEC reported the key outcomes of the 24^th Meeting of the Fisheries Consultative Group of the ASEAN-SEAFDEC Strategic Partnership (24FCG/ASSP) which was convened virtually on 24–25 November 2021. Specifically, the 30^th ASWGFi took note of the progress of 16 ongoing projects under the FCG/ASSP mechanism implemented in 2021–2022; four new projects to commence in 2022; and three pipeline projects which would be placed under the FCG/ASSP mechanism once the funding could be confirmed. Specifically, the ASEAN Lead Countries were nominated for the new projects to commence in 2022. During the ASWGFi, a number of ASEAN Member States (AMSs) also expressed their appreciation to SEAFDEC for sustaining cooperation, especially the financial support of the Government of Japan through the Japanese Trust Fund which had contributed to enhancing the capacity of the AMSs in promoting sustainable development of the fisheries sector.