Thirty-Ninth Meeting of the Program Committee of the. Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center. Yogyakarta, Indonesia November 2016

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1 Fortieth Meeting of the Program Committee Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center Centara Grand Hotel at Central Plaza Ladprao, Bangkok, Thailand November 2017 REF03 Thirty-Ninth Meeting of the Program Committee of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center Yogyakarta, Indonesia November 2016 INTRODUCTION 1. The Thirty-ninth Meeting of the Program Committee of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) was held in Yogyakarta, Indonesia from 28 to 30 November 2016 and hosted by the SEAFDEC Inland Fishery Resources Development and Management Department (IFRDMD). 2. The Program Committee Meeting was attended by the SEAFDEC Program Committee Members for Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam together with their respective delegations as well as representatives from collaborating agencies, namely: the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/Regional Office for Asia and Pacific (FAO/RAP), Inland Fisheries Training Center of Gifu Prefecture in Japan, Sweden Embassy in Bangkok, United States Agency for International Development/Regional Development Mission for Asia (USAID/RDMA), and the USAID Oceans and Fisheries Partnership. The SEAFDEC Secretary-General, Deputy Secretary-General and Department Chiefs as members of the SEAFDEC Program Committee together with officers from the SEAFDEC Secretariat and Departments also attended the Meeting. The list of participants, observers, and SEAFDEC officers, appears as Annex 1. I. OPENING OF THE MEETING 3. The Advisor to the Minister for Public Policy of the Marine Affairs and Fisheries of Indonesia, Dr. Achmad Poernomo, on behalf of Secretary General of Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) and SEAFDEC Council Director for Indonesia Prof. Sjarief Widjaja, welcomed the participants to the Meeting and to Yogyakarta. He expressed his appreciation to the staff of IFRDMD and SEAFDEC Secretariat for the arrangements made for the Meeting. He mentioned that during the recent discussion at the 22 nd Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Morocco, the significant role of the ocean in climate change was not proportionally recognized, making it necessary for SEAFDEC to take a closer look at the impacts of climate change and consider addressing the issues during the planning of its new programs and projects as climate change threatens the coastal communities livelihoods and food security. He also mentioned that the ASEAN Community is now shaping together, where the fisheries sector is one of the 12 priority sectors under the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). The contribution of fisheries of the ASEAN Member States is significant considering that almost half of the world s fish production comes from this region. He believed that the ASEAN Member States should prepare the readiness of their respective fisheries sector towards the AEC, and SEAFDEC is the key regional organization that plays very crucial role in fisheries development in the region. His Welcome Remarks appears as Annex While welcoming the participants to the 39 th Meeting of the SEAFDEC Program Committee (39PCM), the Secretary-General of SEAFDEC Dr. Kom Silapajarn, in his capacity as the Chairperson of the Program Committee, expressed the appreciation to IFRDMD and MMAF of Indonesia for the arrangements of the Meeting. He reiterated that the important function of the PCM is to review the programs of SEAFDEC in 2016 and scrutinize the activities to be implemented in 2017 to ensure that the activities address the requirements of the Member Countries. He therefore encouraged the participants, as well as the observers and representatives from collaborating agencies to provide 1

2 recommendations for the improvement of SEAFDEC programs for the benefit of the Member Countries, and then declared the Program Committee Meeting open. His Opening Remarks appears as Annex 3. II. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA AND ARRANGEMENTS OF THE MEETING 5. The Agenda which appears as Annex 4 was adopted. III. REVIEW OF SEAFDEC PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION FOR THE YEAR 2016 AND PROPOSED PROGRAMS FOR THE YEAR The Program Committee took note of the twenty-one projects under the FCG/ASSP Mechanism which have been categorized based on the SEAFDEC Program Thrusts endorsed by the SEAFDEC Council during its 41 st Meeting in 2009, as well as of the two Special Projects. The progress and achievements of the projects in 2016 and the programs of activity for 2017 reported by the SEAFDEC Secretariat and Departments were examined and endorsed by the 39PCM. The results of the review process as well as the recommendations of the 39PCM would be submitted for endorsement to the higher authorities of the ASEAN and SEAFDEC. 3.1 Programs under the FCG/ASSP Mechanism 7. During the discussion, the Program Committee noted the progress and achievements in the implementation of the various projects in 2016, as well as the details of the proposed activities for 2017 (Annex 5). The Program Committee then provided recommendations for the improvement of such projects and activities Progress of Implementation of Programs under the FCG/ASSP Mechanism in 2016 Program Thrust I: Developing and Promoting Responsible Fisheries for Poverty Alleviation and Food Security (1) Human Resource Development for Sustainable Fisheries 8. While expressing the appreciation to SEAFDEC for sustaining the implementation of the project on human resource development for sustainable fisheries, the Program Committee Member for Viet Nam suggested that the activities under this project should take into consideration the lessons learned from the project implementation in the Member Countries. In addition, the activities should focus not only in conducting activities at the pilot-learning sites, e.g. earlier in Cambodia and Viet Nam, and later in Myanmar in 2017, but also in sharing the experiences and lessons learned from the project implementation at pilot-learning sites with the other ASEAN Member States (AMSs). 9. As regards the training on the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) and Extension Methodology, especially on the proposed activities of the pilot-learning site in Myanmar, the Program Committee Member for Malaysia informed the 39PCM that Malaysia has already established its capability on this aspect and expressed the willingness to send EAFM trainers from Malaysia to participate in the activities in Myanmar and other countries in the future, to share the experiences of Malaysia which would be useful for the other countries in the region, and could be adapted for the other sites in the future. 10. The Program Committee Member for the Philippines also informed the 39PCM that EAFM has already been mainstreamed in the programs and plans of the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). Considering that the capacity building on EAFM under this project focused on providing alternative livelihoods for fisherfolks in selected pilot sites, this project should be able to support the Southeast Asian countries in strengthening their capacity, especially through the exchange of information, experiences and lessons learned among the countries. 2

3 11. While expressing the appreciation to SEAFDEC for the conduct of two training courses on EAFM in Myanmar in 2016 that enabled many stakeholders to understand the EAFM concept, the Program Committee Member for Myanmar informed the Program Committee that Myanmar is looking forward to cooperating with TD for the implementation of the project at the project-learning site in Myanmar. 12. The Program Committee Member for Indonesia commended TD for building up and strengthening human capability especially the fisheries officers of Member Countries, and suggested that this would be the most appropriate time to revisit the work plan of these activities to make sure that the project objective on strengthening knowledge and skills of the national officers in dealing with the sustainable fisheries development in all aspects is achieved. The Program Committee Member for Malaysia added that since the project had been ongoing from 2013 to 2016, some significant findings could already be highlighted, and such information should be shared among the Southeast Asian countries. 13. The Program Committee also noted that while this project has received support from the Japanese Trust Fund (JTF), other activities that also aim to enhance the capacity of the Member Countries are being carried out by SEAFDEC with support from other funding sources, e.g. FAO/GEF, SEAFDEC-Sweden Project, USAID-Oceans. Nonetheless, the recommendations of the 39PCM would be considered in the implementation of these projects as well as in the formulation of future activities as appropriate. (2) Optimizing Energy Use/Improving Safety Onboard in Fishing Activities 14. While commending TD for the implementation of the project including the production of the Regional Guidelines on Optimizing Energy Use and Improving Safety Onboard in Fishing Vessels in Southeast Asia, the Program Committee for Malaysia informed the 39PCM that Malaysia would translate the Guidelines into the Malaysian language for dissemination to local officers and fishers. He also requested Japan to consider conducting a Training of Trainers (ToT) on safety at sea and energy saving in Malaysia, with Japan providing the resource persons while Malaysia would make the relevant arrangements for the training. On the request of Malaysia, it was clarified that funding support would be sought from various sources, e.g. JTF, to enable Japan to conduct such training in Malaysia. 15. The Program Committee Member for Indonesia expressed the apprehension that it might be difficult to achieve the objective of the project activity on development of appropriate fishing vessels design targeting trawl and seine vessels, considering that focus of the project is small-scale fisheries, while only two years remain until the end of this project. Nevertheless, he suggested that the activity should already come up with clear goal and indicators of achievement by the end of the project. In this connection, it was clarified that the project would also include trawls and seines, and that SEAFDEC would explore other funding sources for the activity on vessels design, and that the duration of this activity may be extended beyond The Program Committee Member for Indonesia added that in order for the Member Countries to utilize the technologies developed starting 2017, this project should now come up with a documentation of the techniques on energy saving. He added that Indonesia has conducted studies on carbon footprints for tuna capture fisheries, the results of which would be useful for the improvement of the project activities, especially in minimizing the use of energy in capture fisheries. 17. The Program Committee Member for the Philippines informed the 39PCM that the Philippines is one of the countries that is most concerned with safety at sea and optimizing energy use for small fishing vessels, especially that the country has changed its fishing vessels from wooden to fiber glass. The Philippines is therefore looking forward to cooperating with TD in the implementation of this project. 3

4 18. On safety at sea which is closely relevant to climate change, the Program Committee was informed that the ASEAN organized the Experts Dialogue on Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in ASEAN on 30 November 2016 in Bali, Indonesia, and would also organize the 5 th Meeting of the Ad-hoc Steering Committee on Climate Change and Food Security on 1-2 December 2016 also in Bali, Indonesia. Since these meetings would come up with updates on the progress of ASEAN activities on climate change mitigation and adaptation measures, lessons could be learned from such updates for the improvement of this project s implementation. 19. The Program Committee Member for Malaysia expressed the view that since this project has been implemented since 2013, the results should be summarized for dissemination to the Member Countries. He added that Malaysia is planning to eliminate all wooden fishing vessels by 2050, so the issue at hand is not only on safety at sea but also on the onboard working conditions of fishers with reference to the standards of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and International Maritime Organization (IMO). In this regard, Malaysia sought the assistance of SEAFDEC in order that Malaysian fishing vessels would be able to comply with international requirements. (3) Promotion of Sustainable Fisheries Resources Enhancement Measures in Critical Habitats/Fishing Grounds in Southeast Asia 20. The Program Committee Member for Thailand informed the 39PCM of the policy of Thailand to rehabilitate its fishery resources and suggested that the project should not only develop suitable designs/measures for resources enhancement practices but should also include capacity building activities in monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of such designs/measures. In addition, the project should also include improvement of scientific monitoring techniques for resources and habitat enhancement. 21. Considering the linkage of this resources enhancement project with the SEAFDEC/UNEP/GEF/SCS project on Establishment and Operation of a Regional System of Fisheries Refugia in the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand, the Program Committee Member for Viet Nam suggested that certain activities of the resource enhancement project could be merged with the fisheries refugia project to optimize allocation of resources. In response, the Program Committee was informed that the resource enhancement project could not be merged with the fisheries refugia project because such projects are implemented in different project sites of the participating countries. 22. While expressing the appreciation to SEAFDEC for selecting Lao PDR as one of the project s pilot sites, the Program Committee Member for Lao PDR mentioned that there has been no follow-up activity under the Technical Assistance in Pilot Sites for Diagnosis of Fishing Grounds and Evaluation of Fishery Ecosystem Management in He therefore requested SEAFDEC to continue this activity for Lao PDR in In response to the query of the Program Committee Member for Malaysia on the difference between Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) and Fish Enhancing Devices (FEDs), TD explained that FADs are used for fishing purposes and not directly for resource enhancement, while FEDs are mainly used for fisheries resources conservation. Meanwhile, the Program Committee Member for Malaysia also expressed the willingness to collaborate with TD in a joint research particularly in comparing the efficiency between FADs and ARs, and in sharing information based on their experience and the lessons learned from the country s national project activities on FADs. 24. While informing the Program Committee that Myanmar has many potential areas not only marine but also inland areas that should be considered for sustainable fisheries management, the Program Committee Member for Myanmar requested TD to include Myanmar in the implementation of this project, e.g. through attendance of representatives from Myanmar in the training courses. 4

5 25. The Program Committee Member for Indonesia made an observation that there could be differences in resource enhancement measures appropriate for marine and inland areas. He then informed the 39PCM that a research institute in Indonesia has been tasked to undertake activities on stock enhancement of inland fisheries, and that Indonesia is willing to share its experience on this aspect with TD and the other Member Countries. (4) Environment-friendly, Sustainable Utilization and Management of Fisheries and Aquaculture Resources 26. With regard to the activity on the Use of Plant-based Protein Sources in Tilapia Feeds for Improved Production Traits, the Program Committee Member for Viet Nam requested that as the laboratory research work under this activity has already been completed, the results should be shared with the Member Countries. Furthermore, The Program Committee noted that AQD had proposed to implement activities related to eel survival rate in 2017 under this project. 27. For the activity on Responsible Aquaculture through Aquasilviculture, the Program Committee Member for Viet Nam informed the Program Committee that farmers in Viet Nam have been implementing rice-shrimp farming systems in the areas of Mekong Delta, the results of which would serve as model for developing climate change adaptation measures. She also expressed the willingness of Viet Nam to participate as one of the pilot sites in the project and share the lessons learned from the successful implementation of such systems with other countries. In this regard, AQD thanked the Committee Member for Viet Nam and informed the Program Committee that this matter could be included in relevant and appropriate training courses to be conducted by AQD in the near future. 28. The Program Committee Member for Malaysia expressed the interest in collaborating with AQD on training and research in aquaculture, and requested AQD to consider the possibility of conducting collaborative research with the national agencies of Malaysia. In this connection, AQD informed the Program Committee that a number of MOUs had already been established between AQD and some Malaysian universities for conducting collaborative research, and AQD would consider expanding similar collaboration with other national agencies in Malaysia. 29. In addition, the Program Committee Member for Malaysia requested AQD to share the results of the activity on Use of Plant-based Protein Sources in Tilapia Feeds for Improved Production Traits as well as those from the activity on Appropriate Transport and Acclimation Strategies of Seahorses. Furthermore, AQD was also requested to conduct training courses on breeding of commercial aquatic species. In response, AQD informed the Program Committee that funds for regular training courses provided by JTF could be utilized to support the participation of AMSs in its regular training courses, however, the slots for such training courses should be fairly distributed among all the AMSs. (5) Enhancement of Sustainability of Catadromous Eel Resources in Southeast Asia 30. The Program Committee Member for Myanmar expressed the appreciation of Myanmar to SEAFDEC for giving them the opportunity to participate in the eel survey in 2016 considering that eels are potential fishery resource for Myanmar. As conservation and management of eels are very important for the region, she supported the efforts of IFRDMD to implement activities under this project that are geared towards the sustainability of wild-caught eels, as well as on aquaculture and genetic analysis for species identification of eels. 31. For sustainable management of eels in the region, the Deputy Chief of IFRDMD emphasized on the need to compile long-term catch statistics of eels as a basic study under this project. In this connection, Member Countries that have eel industry were requested to monitor and record their annual and monthly data from wild catch and from aquaculture of eel resources. Furthermore, Myanmar requested IFRDMD to support the country s data recording system for wild catch eels as 5

6 well as provide technical support on aquaculture technologies to enable the country to come up with better information on the trends of eel stocks. In response, IFRDMD signified to provide technical assistance on the conservation and management of eels, and in addressing the eel farming issues of the country. 32. The Program Committee also noted the information from the Deputy Secretary-General of SEAFDEC that a new proposal on Enhancing Sustainable Utilization and Management Scheme of Tropical Anguillid Eel Resources in Southeast Asia is being proposed to Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) for possible funding support, with a view of supporting anguillid eel statistics data collection, research on survival rate of juveniles under artificial culture, and management of anguillid eel resources in the region. (6) Promotion of Responsible Utilization of Inland Fisheries in Southeast Asia 33. The Program Committee Member for Viet Nam informed the 39PCM that Viet Nam is in the process of including rights-based fisheries in reservoirs in the country s national laws, and that Viet Nam is willing to participate in the activity on Study on Co-management and Rights-based Fisheries Management Applicable for Inland Fisheries in the Region to be able to share its experience on inland fisheries management. 34. The Program Committee Member for Indonesia suggested that as basis for promoting sustainable inland capture fisheries, IFRDMD should compile relevant information on inland capture fisheries in the region, and by the end of the project, should come up with a publication that depicts the inland fisheries profile of respective Southeast Asian countries, which should include the status and strategic issues faced by inland capture fisheries. In this connection, the Program Committee was informed that IFRDMD would explore the possibility of sourcing appropriate funds in order to conduct the suggested activities and come up with the publication of the inland fisheries profile of the Southeast Asian region, while the SEAFDEC Secretariat signified to support the publication of such inland fisheries profile. 35. The representative from FAO commended SEAFDEC for giving attention to inland fisheries in the Southeast Asian region. He shared the information with the Program Committee that the Global Conference on Inland Fisheries organized in January 2015 came up with the Rome Declaration: Ten Steps to Responsible Inland Fisheries, which could be referred to in formulating programs for the sustainable development of inland fisheries in the Southeast Asian region. (7) Enhancing Coastal Community Resilience for Sustainable Livelihood and Coastal Resources Management 36. The Program Committee took note of the implementation of this project by MFRDMD starting 2016 with funding support from the Islamic Development Bank (IDB). During the discussion, the representative from Brunei Darussalam expressed the appreciation to SEAFDEC and IDB for facilitating the implementation of this project, and informed the 39PCM that following the results of the community assessment conducted in 2016, Brunei Darussalam is now preparing to conduct capacity building activities for small-scale fishers under this project. The Program Committee was also informed that capacity building activities under this project would be conducted in the three participating countries, namely: Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Malaysia. Program Thrust II: Enhancing Capacity and Competitiveness to Facilitate International and Intra-regional Trade (8) Chemicals and Drug Residues in Fish and Fish Products in Southeast Asia Biotoxin (ASP, AZA and BTX) and Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) in the ASEAN region 6

7 37. While commending MFRD for supporting Myanmar in the implementation of biotoxins monitoring survey in the country, the Program Committee Member for Myanmar informed the 39PCM that based on the results of the said pilot survey, the biotoxin levels of the samples collected do not exceed the levels of the EU standard. Nevertheless, MFRD was requested to consider extending the conduct of biotoxins monitoring surveys in other areas of Myanmar. In addition, MFRD was also requested to consider the participation of Myanmar in its future relevant training courses. 38. The Program Committee Member for Malaysia also welcomed the implementation of the training course on identification of common harmful algal bloom species (HABs), and informed the Program Committee that Malaysia is willing to participate in the training course. He also suggested that by the end of this project, MFRD should come up with a handbook on protocols for monitoring of biotoxins that could serve as reference for the Member Countries. 39. Considering the difficulties faced by Indonesia in exporting shellfishes, e.g. mussels, to the EU market due to biotoxins problems, the Program Committee Member for Indonesia supported the proposal that MFRD should come up with the protocols for biotoxins monitoring and analysis. 40. With regard to the extension of the project period until 2019, the Program Committee noted that additional budget would be provided by MFRD to the AMSs participating in the monitoring survey. In connection with the request for development of a handbook on protocols for biotoxins monitoring, the 39PCM was informed that MFRD would publish a Technical Compilation by the end of the project, which would comprise protocols for sampling, methods for analysis, as well as results of the surveys at the pilot sites. The Program Committee was also informed that the methods used in this project are in line with international standards. (9) Cold Chain Management for Seafood 41. The Program Committee took note of the project on Cold Chain Management for Seafood which would be completed in 2017 with the preparation of the Guidelines on Cold Chain Management for Seafood for distribution to all ASEAN-SEAFDEC Member Countries. In addition, the end-of-project seminar would be conducted to share and discuss the results of the project among the Member Countries, and finalize the aforementioned Guidelines. (10) Reinforcement and Optimization of Fish Health Management and the Effective Dissemination in the Southeast Asian Region 42. While recognizing the importance of fish health management, the Program Committee Member for Malaysia expressed the willingness of Malaysia to participate and collaborate in the implementation of the activities of the project, especially on the establishment of protective measures against persistent and emerging parasitic diseases of tropical fish, epidemiology of the EMS/AHPND, technology extension and demonstration, and sharing of information. He also requested for the possibility of Malaysian representatives to participate in the training course to be conducted in Lao PDR. 43. The Program Committee Member for Myanmar expressed the appreciation of Myanmar to AQD for conducting two training courses on fish health management in Myanmar in 2016, which has built up the technical skills of the staff members of the Department of Fisheries (DoF) of Myanmar on this aspect, and requested AQD to continue conducting similar activities in Myanmar in 2017 considering that the occurrence of aquatic animal diseases in the country could be escalated by climate change. 44. The Program Committee Member for Thailand expressed the country s interest to participate in the activities on epidemiology of the EMS/AHPND, and in technology extension and demonstration. However, she suggested that exchange of information on this aspect with the ASEAN Network on 7

8 Aquatic Animal Health Centre (ANAAHC) should be promoted in order to improve the implementation of the project. 45. In response, the 39PCM was informed that AQD has no regular training program on fish health management although training sessions on this aspect could be conducted upon request. However, AQD is planning to convene the next on-line training course on fish health management in early 2017, which would be announced through the AQD website as well as in the list of SEAFDEC Events (e.g. in the Newsletter). In addition, AQD could also conduct relevant onsite training in the Member Countries on cost-sharing basis. With regards to exchange of information on fish health management, AQD has recently conducted a meeting with the Department of Fisheries (DOF) of Thailand, ANAAHC and NACA to concretize the strategies on early warning and preparedness systems for occurrence aquatic animal diseases in the Southeast Asian region. Program Thrust III: Improving Management Concepts and Approaches for Sustainable Fisheries (11) Strategies for Trawl Fisheries By-catch Management (REBYC-II CTI) 46. The Program Committee noted the progress and achievements in the implementation of the project on Strategies for Trawl Fisheries By-catch Management in 2016, which was implemented in five participating countries and would be completed by the end of (12) Promotion of Countermeasures to Reduce IUU Fishing Activities 47. While expressing appreciation to SEAFDEC for the development and management of the RFVR Database, the Program Committee Member for Malaysia shared his concern on the inclusion of vessels less than 24 meters in length in the said RFVR Database as this could result in very large number of vessels included in the Database. In this regard, the Program Committee was informed that consultations with the Member Countries would be conducted prior to the inclusion of vessels less than 24 meters in length in the RFVR Database to obtain their clear directives on this aspect. 48. The Committee Member for Malaysia also suggested that SEAFDEC should consider synergizing the activities under this project with those of the RPOA-IUU in order to optimize utilization of resources and extend the activities beyond the Gulf of Thailand Sub-region. He mentioned that this could be achieved following the sub-regional approach, e.g. Gulf of Thailand, South China Sea, Sulu and Sulawesi Sea, in order to effectively manage the region s fishing vessels and promote the effective utilization of the RFVR Database system. However, considering the differences in the objectives of the two databases, i.e. the RFVR compiled by SEAFDEC targets those vessels operating in the Southeast Asian waters while the data compiled by the RPOA-IUU is focused on IUU-listed vessels plying in international waters, it might be difficult to consider linking these two databases although the possibility of information sharing between these databases could be explored. 49. The Program Committee Member for the Philippines informed the 39PCM that concerned officers of the Philippines have been encouraged to make use of the information in the RFVR Database system and suggested that this project should also monitor the frequency of usage of the RFVR Database by the AMSs. Nevertheless, in order that utilization of the RFVR Database by the AMSs is maximized, he also suggested that technical assistance or awareness campaign could be extended by SEAFDEC to the AMSs. 50. The Program Committee Member for Indonesia recalled the decision made during the initial phase of the development of the RFVR Database to keep the Database confidential among the AMSs. He therefore suggested that a mechanism should be explored to share the information in the Database with relevant national agencies of the AMSs, e.g. coastguards, in order to promote the maximum utilization of the Database by the AMSs. 8

9 51. While supporting the project activity on Strengthening the Implementation of Port State Measures and Other Surveillance Measures, the Program Committee Member for Malaysia suggested that the recommendations and challenges identified during the Workshop on Regional Cooperation for Implementation of Port State Measures to Improve Fisheries Management and Reduce IUU Fishing in Southeast Asia in November 2016, should be appropriately addressed by SEAFDEC and the Member Countries. 52. In response to the query of the Program Committee Member for Viet Nam on the development of database on fishing license and vessel registration under the activities for 2017, it was clarified that assistance on this aspect could be extended to the AMSs to strengthen their national mechanisms that would enable them to provide data and information relevant to the RFVR Database in the future. The Program Committee Member for Viet Nam also expressed the view that there is a need for SEAFDEC to develop a work plan that would support the Member Countries in the implementation for the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA), especially in terms of reflecting the requirements of PSMA in their respective national laws and legal frameworks, e.g. development of a guidebook and providing support to the Member Countries through the conduct of capacity building activities in consultation with concerned collaborating agencies and donors. 53. The representative from FAO informed the Program Committee that FAO would sustain its support to SEAFDEC for the implementation of PSMA and encouraged ASEAN Member States to implement Port State Measures Agreement in the future. 54. In a related development, the Chief of IFRDMD also requested the Program Committee to consider the possibility of including IUU fishing countermeasures in inland capture fisheries under this project. (13) Combating IUU Fishing in the Southeast Asian Region through Application of Catch Certification for Trading of Fish and Fishery Products 55. The Program Committee Member for Indonesia commended SEAFDEC for developing the ASEAN Guidelines for Preventing the Entry of Fish and Fishery Products from IUU Fishing Activities into the Supply Chain which was subsequently endorsed by the 37 th Meeting of ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF) in While expressing the concern that the Guidelines might not be implemented by the AMSs as far as it remains voluntary in nature, he therefore suggested that the Guidelines could be transformed into a mandatory instrument to ensure its future implementation and eventually eliminate the entry of illegal fish and fishery products into the supply chain. 56. With regards to the aforementioned recommendation, the Program Committee Member for Viet Nam suggested that this matter should be raised for discussion during the forthcoming Meeting of the ASWGFi to be organized in Singapore in Upon the approval of the ASWGFi, the proposal could be tabled for consideration by the AMAF Meeting in Furthermore, the Program Committee Member for Indonesia added that the 11 key items stipulated in the Joint ASEAN-SEAFDEC Declaration on Regional Cooperation for Combating Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing and Enhancing the Competitiveness of ASEAN Fish and Fishery Products adopted at the High-level Consultation on Regional Cooperation in Sustainable Fisheries Development Towards the ASEAN Economic Community in August 2016 should also be discussed at this 39PCM. More specifically, actions undertaken by the countries to implement the Joint Declaration as well as the aforementioned Guidelines should be discussed, and the results should be raised for consideration by the SEAFDEC Council during its forthcoming meeting. The SEAFDEC Council would then be requested to provide directives for SEAFDEC to consult with the ASEAN Secretariat and AMAF for the effective implementation of the Joint Declaration. 9

10 (14) Establishment and Operation of a Regional System of Fisheries Refugia in the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand 58. The 39PCM took note of the progress of implementation of the project on Establishment and Operation of a Regional System of Fisheries Refugia in the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand, as well as the activities proposed for Program Thrust IV: Providing Policy and Advisory Services for Planning and Executing Management of Fisheries (15) Fisheries Resource Survey and Operational Plan for the M.V. SEAFDEC The Program Committee for Vietnam informed the 39PCM that Viet Nam is planning to request TD for the use of the M.V. SEAFDEC 2 during the conduct of a national survey for stock assessment of small pelagic fishes in May-June She added that the responsible national agencies would be assigned to work with TD for planning and undertaking the activities under the cost-sharing mechanism. 60. The Chief of MFRDMD suggested that the possibility of acquiring new scientific equipment to be installed onboard the M.V. SEAFDEC 2 should also be considered by SEAFDEC, especially the better scientific echo-sounder which would be more appropriate for scientific surveys. (16) Offshore Fisheries Resources Exploration in Southeast Asia 61. The Program Committee for Viet Nam inquired whether the activity on post-harvest fish handling could be incorporated during the small pelagic survey using the M.V. SEAFDEC 2 planned for May-June In response, it was clarified that conducting fish handling training onboard the M.V. SEAFDEC 2 may not be appropriate, considering that the species targeted for the training might not be caught during the cruise, while the facility onboard the M.V. SEAFDEC 2 may be different from those in respective countries fishing vessels. It was therefore suggested that the training should be conducted onsite in the Member Countries, e.g. in Viet Nam. (17) Enhancing the Compilation and Utilization of Fishery Statistics and Information for Sustainable Development and Management of Fisheries in Southeast Asian Region 62. On Facilitating Fisheries Activity Information Gathering through Introduction of Communitybased Resources Management, the Program Committee Member for Viet Nam expressed the appreciation to TD for supporting the country in the implementation of rights-based fisheries management and co-management concepts, as well as on data collection through community-based fisheries management. However, for the activity on monitoring and evaluation of appropriate activities to be sustainable for CBRM/Co-management, she suggested that in addition to Cambodia, Lao PDR and Thailand, Viet Nam could also be included as one of the participating countries since this is relevant to the country s effort in modifying relevant provisions of its fishery law. 63. The Program Committee Member for the Philippines expressed the view that there are several management concepts being promoted by TD, e.g. community-based fisheries management, comanagement, EAFM, and suggested that there should be coherent understanding of these concepts by the Member Countries. 64. On Improving the Data Collection of the Commercially-Exploited Aquatic Species and Threatened Species, the Program Committee Member for Malaysia supported the development of database on sharks in the region by MFRDMD, which should be shared among the Member Countries. The Program Committee Member for Viet Nam also suggested that MFRDMD should have a clear plan on how such database could be mobilized to support the Member Countries in their efforts to implement/develop the NPOA-Sharks. 10

11 65. With regards to the Harmonization of Fishery Statistics in the Southeast Asian Region, the Program Committee Member for Malaysia took note of the development of SEASOFIA 2017 and raised the concern on the difficulties faced by the country in obtaining statistical data on crocodile culture as this is under the responsibility of different national authority. 66. The Program Committee was informed that the SEAFDEC Secretariat has difficulties in compiling regional fishery statistics from the AMSs considering that the current statistical framework requires that data should be recorded at species or species group levels. In this regard, AMSs are encouraged to exert more efforts in order to report the necessary statistics at such levels. Furthermore, there is also a need to improve inland capture fisheries data collection as it is inadequate and thus, results in under-reporting of the data due to the nature of inland fisheries which are small-scale, scattered, and could not be recorded under formal mechanism. 67. While acknowledging the needs for improving statistics on inland fisheries, the Program Committee Member for Thailand expressed the view that GIS and remote sensing technologies could be mobilized to facilitate monitoring of resources and supporting inland fisheries management. She then requested TD to integrate the use of GIS and remote sensing technologies in the relevant activities of the project, and that the GIS expert of DOF of Thailand would cooperate with TD on this aspect. In response, the 39PCM recommended that the proposal of Thailand should be submitted to IFRDMD for consideration which could also be used in seeking support from appropriate donors for the implementation of the said activities. (18) Comparative Studies for Management of Purse Seine Fisheries in the Southeast Asian Region 68. While noting the progress made by MFRDMD in the conduct of comparative study of purse seine fisheries, the Program Committee Member for Thailand expressed the concern that this project has been making use of data on CPUE as basis for management measures, e.g. establishing total allowable catch (TAC) and total allowable effort (TAE). However, since purse seines comprise different types and size categories, the study under this project should also take into consideration the strategies for reducing bycatch of juveniles of other commercial pelagic species. In this connection, the 39PCM was informed that the data used for the study is based only on production data of pelagic species, as was practiced in Japan, which include information on the mesh size, size of fish, fish composition, and other biological indicators but not for the development of strategies for reduction of juvenile fish bycatch. 69. While noting the progress of implementation of the project, the Program Committee Member for the Philippines cited that Philippines has been implementing various management measures including closed season for small-pelagic fisheries. Considering that the results of the assessment indicated positive impacts on the fisheries from the application of such closed season scheme, he suggested that this measure could also be included in the study of MFRDMD. Furthermore, since the Philippines is also in the process of establishing reference points for such management measure, the results of such study would be shared with MFRDMD in order that these could also be incorporated in the study. (19) Research for Enhancement of Sustainable Utilization and Management of Sharks and Rays in the Southeast Asian Region 70. While expressing the view that the project seems to have unclear output, particularly the direction towards effective implementation and revision of NPOA-Sharks in the AMSs, the Program Committee Member for Indonesia reiterated that some guidebooks and scientific information on sharks species in the region are readily available from many literatures and related sources, which could be used as reference in the implementation of the project. In this regard, it was clarified that the difficulties actually lie in the identification of species of sharks and rays in actual situation although 11

12 other information on such species are already available. It is the aspect of species identification that needs to be improved in order to have better data and information on landing and utilization of sharks and rays in the region. 71. During the ensuing discussion, the Program Committee Member for Myanmar extended the appreciation of the DoF of Myanmar to MFRDMD for the implementation of the project in Myanmar especially in the collection of scientific information on species of sharks and rays that are listed under the CITES Appendices. She also expressed the willingness of Myanmar to continue collaborating with MFRDMD under this project in the future. Program Thrust V: Addressing International Fisheries-related Issues from a Regional Perspective (20) Assistance for Capacity Building in the Region to Address International Trade-related Issues 72. The Representative from Brunei Darussalam expressed the appreciation to SEAFDEC for the implementation of the project and for using Brunei Darussalam as the pilot site in the implementation of the ASEAN Catch Documentation Scheme (ACDS) for Marine Capture Fisheries. She informed the Program Committee that Brunei Darussalam has already been listed as exporter to EU market for aquaculture products, of which the date of entry into force would be on 5 December While supporting the extension of the project from 2017 to 2019, the Program Committee Member for Malaysia requested SEAFDEC to share the results from the visit and discussion with representatives of the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), considering that Malaysia has been requested by CCAMLR to implement the catch documentation scheme of CCAMLR. In this regard, SEAFDEC informed the 39PCM that CCAMLR has raised this issue not only at the 48 th Meeting of SEAFDEC Council but also at the the 8 th and 9 th RPOA-IUU Coordinating Committee Meeting in Brunei Darussalam (in 2015) and Thailand (in 2016), respectively. In addition, the issue was also discussed during the CITES-COP 17, where it was mentioned that Parties involved in the harvest and/or trade of toothfish are requested to cooperate with CCAMLR Catch Documentation Scheme. 74. The Program Committee Member for Malaysia also emphasized on the need to conduct annual regional consultations to review and discuss the identified important international fisheries-related issues to be reflected by the Member Countries at relevant regional/international fora such as at COFi in order to safeguard the priorities and interests of the countries in the region. Considering that the latest consultation was convened in 2012, he therefore suggested that SEAFDEC should consider incorporating the results of the consultation into the project activities in He also raised some issues as potential subjects for discussion, such as the abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) and marking of fishing gears. 75. With regards to trade-related issues, the Program Committee Member for Malaysia emphasized that as the US would soon finalize the Rules of Fish and Fish Product Import Provisions under the US Marine Mammal Protection Act, which would be effective on 1 January 2017, SEAFDEC in collaboration with relevant organizations should therefore assist the AMSs in complying with the requirements of such Rules, before the full ban is enforced after the five-year exemption period. The Deputy Secretary-General of SEAFDEC also suggested that the project, which is funded by the JTF, would strengthen cooperation with other organizations and frameworks such as FAO, USAID and the SEAFDEC-Sweden Project as required, for the implementation of activities that address emerging issues encountered by the Member Countries. 76. The Program Committee Member for Myanmar informed the 39PCM that in order for Myanmar to comply with the requirements on scientific information, studies are necessary. 12

13 Nevertheless, Myanmar would like to cooperate in relevant activities under the umbrella of SEAFDEC to make sure that its trade follows the CITES regulations. (21) Strengthening SEAFDEC Network for Sustainable Fisheries 77. The Program Committee took note of the activities undertaken under the project on Strengthening SEAFDEC Network for Sustainable Fisheries, particularly in strengthening cooperation between SEAFDEC and the Member Countries through the Regional Fisheries Policy Network (RFPN), enhancing the monitoring and evaluation of SEAFDEC programs and projects, and enhancing dissemination of the results from SEAFDEC initiatives to the public Special Projects (22) Fisheries and Habitat Management, Climate Change and Social Well-being in Southeast Asia 78. The Program Committee Member for Indonesia commended SEAFDEC for the achievements made under the project in 2016, and requested SEAFDEC to incorporate in its future project activities the development of SOP for Inspectors to support the implementation of PSMA in Southeast Asia as the AMSs might have different procedures in the implementation of the PSMA. SEAFDEC was therefore asked to take into consideration the SOPs of other more advanced countries in the development of the SOP for Inspectors for the Southeast Asian region. In this connection, SEAFDEC agreed to incorporate such suggestion into the SEAFDEC work plan for 2017 by referring to the existing SOPs, e.g. those of US and Australia. 79. The Program Committee Member for Viet Nam commended SEAFDEC on the progress it has made in facilitating sub-regional cooperation. However, she expressed the view that the linkages and cooperation among the sub-regions in fisheries management which seemed to be lacking should be addressed. While also commending SEAFDEC for conducting stock assessment of species known to be potentially shared stocks among countries in the region, such as neritic tunas, mackerels, anchovies, blue swimming crabs, and others, as well as the study on relevant legislations that could serve as basis for management of transboundary fishery resources, she suggested that SEAFDEC should set its priority and come up with a joint management plan for specific species and sub-region in In this regard, SEAFDEC was of the view that development of such joint management plan in 2017 could focus on tonggol tuna and kawakawa, considering that scientific data on these species including reference points are already available and could be used as basis for development of management plan for the sub-regional areas. On blue swimming crab, the 39PCM was informed that Viet Nam has already developed good scientific data for this species, and that the country s experience on this aspect could also be shared with the other AMSs. 80. The Program Committee Member for Myanmar reiterated the importance of the activities that foster bilateral cooperation for combating IUU fishing, elimination of illegal fish trade, supporting transboundary management of fishery resources, and promotion of trade. She therefore requested SEAFDEC to support Myanmar in strengthening bilateral cooperation with Thailand on the management of transboundary fishery resources. 81. The Program Committee Member for Thailand expressed the appreciation to SEAFDEC for extending support that facilitate the establishment of cooperation dialogues among the Member Countries, which had been strengthened for combating IUU fishing in the region and enhancing capacity building of fisheries officers in several aspects of fisheries management. Thailand therefore looked forward to cooperating with SEAFDEC for the implementation of the project activities in the near future. (23) USAID-SEAFDEC/Oceans and Fisheries Partnership 13