The Data Sharing Mechanism convened in Dili, Timor Leste on October 25, 2023, with participation from all RPOA-IUU countries, both in-person and virtually, marking a pivotal moment in addressing the pressing challenges facing the Indo-Pacific region. Despite being a hub of marine biodiversity and productive fisheries, the region’s marine ecosystems are under threat from various sources, including pollution, coastal development, climate change, and the scourge of IUU fishing. This illicit practice not only poses a grave threat to the ocean ecosystem but also exacerbates economic and ecological imbalances, requiring urgent international cooperation for effective eradication.
In response to the shared concern over IUU fishing, the USAID Sustainable Fish Asia Technical Support (SuFiA TS) Activity and the RPOA-IUU Secretariat collaborated on a partnership concept note, signaling a joint commitment to combat illegal fishing practices and promote sustainable fisheries management. However, data sharing among countries remains a significant challenge, primarily due to the absence of consensus on sharing protocols, as highlighted during the 11th RPOA-IUU Coordination Committee Meeting in 2019.
To address this challenge, the establishment of a Data Sharing Mechanism Working Group was proposed during the 11th CCM meeting, aiming to facilitate comprehensive discussions and formulate a roadmap for effective information exchange. Despite formalizing assignments and terms of reference, the actual establishment of this working group is pending. Thus, the current activity seeks to expedite the formation of the Working Group, outlining a tentative work plan to guide its activities.
The primary objective of this activity is to conduct a one-day consultative workshop among RPOA-IUU participating country representatives, providing a platform to share ideas and perspectives on the development of the data-sharing mechanism mandated during the 11th CCM meeting. The expected outputs include concrete inputs on the mechanism’s draft, the formulation of an implementation roadmap, and the provision of technical support for future coordination committee meetings. Ultimately, this initiative aims to foster stakeholder ownership and commitment, laying the groundwork for effective implementation of the data-sharing mechanism and strengthening regional efforts against IUU fishing.
Detail information on the outcome of the meeting can be accessed HERE.
