ASEAN strengthens cooperation in fisheries development

The 27th Meeting of the ASEAN Sectoral Working Group on Fisheries (ASWGFi) opened in Da Nang on June 27.

At the event (Photo: dangcongsan.vn)
At the event (Photo: dangcongsan.vn)

According to statistics, the ASEAN region contributes about 25% of the total global seafood production, and includes four of the world's ten largest seafood producing countries, namely Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. Aquatic produce is also one of 12 sectors prioritised for integration in the region, with a roadmap focusing on four main topics: food safety, research and development, human resource development, and information sharing.

The Southeast Asia region has favourable conditions to develop fisheries and aquaculture, which promises to bring great value in terms of economic development, food security and social security. However, most fisheries of member countries are still in the process of developing from small-scale handicrafts to modern, sustainable ones on an industrial scale.

According to the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Phung Duc Tien, Vietnam's fisheries sector plays an important role in the national economy, especially in food supply, employment and income creation for more than 4 million workers.

Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien called on representatives of the fisheries sectors of ASEAN member countries to exchange and agree on plans, programmes, projects and cooperation activities in the ASEAN community in the 2019-2020 period and to discuss important issues in the region, providing directions to build responsible, effective and sustainable fishery development policies in the region.

During the series of events in Da Nang, representatives of ASEAN members will continue to exchange on issues of combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing; close cooperation among ASEAN countries; management of exploitation, protection and sustainable development of aquatic resources; traceability of products from exploitation and aquaculture; response to and mitigation of the impacts of climate change on exploitation and aquaculture in the region; formulation of sustainable fisheries development policies in the region; ensuring food security and harmonising animal and plant quarantine measures in the region; improvement of fisheries management capacity, especially the implementation of the Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA).

The meeting will run until June 29.