SEAFDEC Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center
From 26 to 29 January 2026, SEAFDEC, led by the Secretary-General Ms. Sampan Panjarat and Deputy Secretary-General Mr. Koichi Tahara, paid courtesy visits to fisheries-related agencies and collaborating institutions in Japan.
On the first day, during the visit to the Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency (FRA), SEAFDEC was warmly welcomed by the FRA President, Dr. Ichiro Nakayama, together with senior staff members. During the discussion, SEAFDEC expressed its sincere appreciation for FRA’s continued support to SEAFDEC activities over the past year, while potential areas for future cooperation and support were also discussed.
Subsequently, on the same day, the Mission made a courtesy call on the Fisheries Agency of Japan and met with Mr. Hitoshi Fujita, Director-General of the Fisheries Agency, and Mr. Takumi Fukuda, Councilor of the Resources Management Department and SEAFDEC Council Director for Japan. For several decades, SEAFDEC has received continued support from the Fisheries Agency through the Japanese Trust Fund (JTF). For the period 2025–2029, SEAFDEC is implementing JTF-7, which supports nine projects aimed at enhancing the capabilities of fisheries and aquaculture development in Southeast Asia. At the end of the day, a courtesy call was made on the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology (TUMSAT), where the SEAFDEC delegation was welcomed by the President of TUMSAT, Dr. Toshio Iseki, together with other executive and academic members. Noting that recent collaboration has focused on deploying TUMSAT scientists to support SEAFDEC technical activities, as well as capacity-building for SEAFDEC staff, the discussion also provided an opportunity to explore potential areas for future cooperation.
On 27 January 2026, SEAFDEC met with Mr. Jun Hirono, President of Marino-Forum 21 (MF21), together with MF21 staff members. Over the years, MF21 has played an important role in facilitating SEAFDEC’s collaboration with the Japanese academic community, which provides technical support and strengthens SEAFDEC staff knowledge and capacity, thereby contributing to the balanced and sustainable development of fisheries in Southeast Asia. Subsequently, a media briefing session was organized at the Fisheries Agency, where the Secretary-General, Ms. Sampan Panjarat, reaffirmed SEAFDEC’s pivotal role in advancing the sustainable management and development of fisheries and aquaculture in Southeast Asia. In her presentation entitled “Advancing Sustainable Fisheries Development in Southeast Asia through Collaborative SEAFDEC Initiatives,” she highlighted SEAFDEC’s technical achievements and its role in bridging science and policy at the regional level. These achievements have been made possible through support from various Japanese funding mechanisms, including the JTF, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and the Japan–ASEAN Integration Fund, as well as contributions from other governments and development partners.
Subsequently, on 28 January 2026, the team visited and observed a research vessel under Kaiyo Engineering Co., Ltd. at Muroran, Hokkaido, Japan. The visit provided SEAFDEC staff with an understanding of the management and operation of research vessels and key considerations in vessel procurement.
Finally, on 29 January 2026, the SEAFDEC delegation visited the Faculty of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University, and was welcomed by the Vice Dean, Professor Dr. Mukai Toru, together with faculty members. The delegation visited the Oshoro-maru research and training vessel and undertook a campus tour, before concluding the visit with the signing of an extension of the Arrangement for Scientific, Educational, and Technical Cooperation between SEAFDEC and Hokkaido University, originally established in 2016, for a further five-year period.
