SEAFDEC takes part in FSC14 and CWP28

The Information Program Coordinator, Ms. Nualanong Tongdee, and Senior Information Officer, Ms. Saivason Klinsukhon, attended the “Fourteenth Steering Committee Meeting of the Fisheries and Resources Monitoring System (FIRMS)” or FSC14 on 30 June–1 July and 4 July 2025 through the online platform. Hosted by the International Council for Exploration of the Sea (ICES), the FSC14 was participated in by FIRMS partners, including SEAFDEC. The FSC14 aimed to review the progress of the FIRMS partner activities in improving the quality of data and information on the global monitoring and management of marine fisheries resources. During FSC14, Ms. Saivason provided updates on SEAFDEC collaborative activities with FAO in contributing to specific targets under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She also highlighted the new initiative “support and strengthen regional representation in global stock status reporting, particularly in preparing countries for FIRMS and SDG 14 data calls.” In addition, she presented the draft updated Annex 2 to the Partnership Agreement between SEAFDEC and FAO under the FIGIS-FIRMS framework which was established in 2004. This updated Annex outlines the potential contributions of SEAFDEC to FIRMS in three key areas: 1) fishery statistics of Southeast Asia, 2) geospatial information on fishing areas based on the regional statistics framework, and 3) results from stock and risk assessment undertaken by SEAFDEC projects.

Back-to-back with the FSC14 was the “Twenty-eight Session of the Coordinating Working Party on Fishery Statistics (CWP28)” on 2–4 July 2025. This forum serves to establish common definitions, classification, and standards for fishery statistics. The CWP28 reviewed the progress made by CWP partners in relation to its scopes and frameworks as well as the achievements of the activities carried out by CWP ad-hoc Task Groups. These included Ad-hoc Task Groups on catch concepts, fishing effort concepts, reference harmonization for capture fisheries and aquaculture statistics, geospatial matters, and small-scale fisheries. During the CWP28, Ms. Saivason reported the relevant activities of SEAFDEC from the second half of 2023 to the second half of 2025. She also shared key recommendations from the 3^rd and 4^th Regional Technical Consultations (RTC) on Fishery Statistics and Information, particularly challenges in submitting data for fishery statistics questionnaires, requests for support in improving the collection of species data level for both capture fisheries and aquaculture, as well as addressing inconsistencies in definitions and classifications, such as the working status of fishers and fish farmers compared to CWP standards. Moreover, she informed the CWP28 that the Regional Framework for Fishery Statistics of Southeast Asia (2024 Edition) had been approved at the 56^th Meeting of SEAFDEC Council and the 46^th Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF).