SEAFDEC Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center
The Regional Workshop on Assessing the Needs of AMS in Implementing the FAO Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication to Support Access to Markets was co-organized by the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries of Indonesia, ASEAN Secretariat, FAO, and SEAFDEC on 16-17 September 2020 through a videoconference hosted in Jakarta, Indonesia. The Workshop was participated by the representatives from the ASEAN Member States. SEAFDEC Secretary-General, Ms. Malinee Smithrithee, delivered the welcome remarks and cited the importance of small-scale fisheries in Southeast Asia in food security and emphasized several outcomes that support the implementation of the SSF Guidelines in Southeast Asia towards the betterment of small-scale fishers while sustaining the fishery resources.
During the Workshop, SEAFDEC shared the achievements of SEAFDEC activities which include developing human capacity on sustainable fisheries management and development through the application of the ecosystem approach to fisheries management (EAFM) and community-based resources management/Co-management; providing support on alternative livelihood programs in fishing communities; and enhancing capture fisheries and aquaculture resources to increase the fish production. In addition, in line with the SSF Guidelines, SEAFDEC incorporated the activities on microfinance, credit, and insurance as well as promotion of gender integration and empowerment in small-scale fisheries communities. SEAFDEC also highlighted the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic to small-scale fisheries based on the results of the pre-survey conducted in Thailand. After the discussion, the Workshop came up with the key issues and needs of AMSs in the implementation of the SSF Guidelines and recommendations for future collaboration.