31st PCM, where AQD work is reviewed

To ensure the effectiveness of program planning and implementation and facilitate review of these, SEAFDEC held its 31st Program Committee (PCM) and 11th Fisheries Consultative Group (FCG) Meetings on 3-7 November 2008 in Singapore.

These meetings, hosted by the SEAFDEC Marine Fisheries Research Department (MFRD), were attended by over 60 participants, representing the ASEAN and SEAFDEC member countries (Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam), FAO, ASEAN Secretariat, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and senior officials of the Secretariat and SEAFDEC Departments.

AQD was represented by the Chief, Dr. JD Toledo; Deputy Chief, Dr. H. Ogata; RD Head, Dr. EDJ Ayson; TVDD Head, Dr. CL Marte; TID Head, RF Agbayani; and the Special Departmental Coordinator for AQD, Ms. B Acosta.

AQD’s senior management presented the progress of AQD programs in 2008 and plans for 2009. As a result, the participants acknowledged the significant work and achievements of AQD and other Departments and endorsed the program plans for 2009.

Recognizing the immense benefits that the poor sector of society could get from rural aquaculture, the PCM recommended that AQD continue giving priority to dissemination and transfer of viable technologies in the rural communities of less developed countries such as Cambodia, Myanmar, Lao PDR and Vietnam.

The meeting also suggested that AQD convenes, in the near future, a regional consultation on aquaculture to hasten the dissemination of information from its activities and identify future directions in line with the needs of member countries and partners in the region.

The meetings also discussed the development of a revised SEAFDEC program framework to facilitate the scrutiny of SEAFDEC programs, clarify the linkages and raise the profile of SEAFDEC at the regional and international level.

Other issues discussed that have relevance to AQD’s work programs include the implementation of ASEAN roadmap for Integration of the fisheries sector, climate change and its impact on fisheries and aquaculture, the implementation of the Code of conduct for responsible fisheries in Southeast Asia, the outcomes of the 1st Regional advisory committee meeting on fisheries management and the Technical guidelines on aquaculture certification.

The meetings also noted the need for a follow-up activity to review the progress made by SEAFDEC since the millennium conference in 2001 (ie. ASEAN-SEAFDEC conference on sustainable fisheries for food security in the new millennium) and define future directions. In view of this, SEAFDEC presented its plans to convene a regional forum that will bring together important stakeholders in 2010 or 2011 in Thailand. The forum tentatively called ‘SEAFDEC Special Event’ is expected to include also a special session on aquaculture.

In summary, the various presentations and discussions that took place during the back-to-back meetings showed how SEAFDEC activities have progressed. At the same time, the challenges ahead as indicated in the proposed and pipeline programs for 2009 and beyond were recognized.