SEAFDEC Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center
On 1 June 2025, SEAFDEC welcomes Mr. Koichi Tahara as its new Deputy Secretary-General and Deputy Chief of the Training Department (TD), succeeding Dr. Tomoko Nakasato whose term ended on 31 May 2025. Prior to his appointment at SEAFDEC, Mr. Tahara served as Senior Staff (Exporting of Fish Products) in the Fisheries Processing Industries and Marketing Division of the Fisheries Agency of Japan with the responsibilities of promoting seafood export; revising the action plan to facilitate the export of agricultural, forestry and fishery products and food; and preventing reputational damage on export of fisheries products by release of treated water at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. Prior to that, he was the Director (Fisheries Coordination) of Resources Management and Fisheries Coordination Division. Mr. Tahara had also involved in SEAFDEC activities during 2001–2003 as the National Coordinator for Japan when he was an assistant director in charge of ODA in the fisheries sector.
Mr. Tahara was nominated by the Government of Japan to serve in SEAFDEC for two years, from 1 June 2025 to 31 May 2027. With over 30-year of his experiences in international negotiations and planning fisheries development project, he is expected to provide invaluable guidance and support to SEAFDEC in implementing programs and projects that aim to sustain the development of fisheries in the Southeast Asian region.