SEAFDEC Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center
Representatives from the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) participated in the 2025 SEA of Solutions Forum in Bangkok from 16 to 17 December 2025. The forum was jointly organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asian (UNEP-COBSEA), which aims to bring together stakeholders, including government representatives, experts, the private sector and youth, to tackle plastic pollution and marine litter.
Representing SEAFDEC, Mr. Fumiya Takahashi, Assistant Project Manager for the Japanese Trust Fund Program, and Mr. Santiphong Putsa, Fishing Gear Technologist, participated in the Forum. It was confirmed that challenges related to measures to prevent the generation of plastic litter at source are shared with those encountered in the case of abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG). The forum underscored the importance of multi-sectoral engagement and emphasized the need for a proactive, global approach to addressing marine debris.
SEAFDEC’s participation in the forum further strengthened its collaboration with UNEP-COBSEA, particularly in preparation for the upcoming Regional Symposium on Marine Debris and Microplastics in Southeast Asia, to be supported by the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF).
