RPOA-IUU participated in Food and Agriculture Organization 36th Committee on Fisheries (COFI) Meeting

In the 2024 RPOA-IUU Workplan point 3.1, stated that RPOA-IUU Secretariat has to coordinate with the FAO for the possibility of presenting a report at the COFI session in 2024. COFI is a body under the FAO Council that meets once every two years and is responsible for discussing various issues, developments, and challenges related to the global fisheries and aquaculture sector. COFI 36 was held in person at the FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy, from July 8-12, 2024. During the session, there was a dedicated agenda item, Agenda 8, focusing on IUU Fishing. This agenda was intended to discuss FAO's priorities in combating IUU Fishing.

Since February 2024, the RPOA-IUU Secretariat has been coordinating with the FAO secretariat regarding the possibility of the RPOA-IUU Secretariat delegation attending COFI 36 to report its activities. However, as of June 2024, permission had not been granted. The Indonesian Embassy in Rome suggested that the RPOA-IUU Secretariat join the Indonesian Delegation and present the RPOA-IUU report as part of the Indonesian Delegation's report. The Directorate General of Marine and Fisheries Resources Surveillance was invited by the Bureau of Law and Foreign Cooperation to provide technical input to be delivered at the aforementioned COFI session, specifically related to Agenda 8: Combatting IUU Fishing.

Based on feedback from the Indonesian Delegation, the draft intervention for Agenda 8 (specifically related to the RPOA-IUU) was revised several times from July 8-10, 2024, with the final version detailed as in the box:

The above statement provides an overview that the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries of Indonesia serves as the Secretariat of RPOA-IUU, which promotes responsible fishing practices and combats IUU fishing. RPOA-IUU consists of 11 countries, including Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam. This regional organization fosters commitment and partnership among countries in the region.

Since its establishment in 2007, RPOA-IUU has been committed to cooperation in implementing core elements from the International Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter, and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IPOA-IUU) Fishing. RPOA-IUU established MCS sub-regional groups to foster effective coordination in sub-regional areas, including the Gulf of Thailand, the Southern and Eastern South China Seas, the Sulu-Sulawesi Seas, and the Arafura and Timor Seas. RPOA-IUU also supports the implementation of FAO’s international instruments as outlined in its work plan. Since its inception, RPOA-IUU has encouraged countries to adopt, ratify, and implement international fisheries legally binding and non-legally binding instruments, including the FAO Compliance Agreement, the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, the FAO Port State Measures Agreement, and the FAO’s Voluntary Guidelines on Transhipment. Several RPOA-IUU participating countries have integrated the FAO CCRF into their national policy frameworks to ensure that the fisheries sectors maintain stocks at sustainable levels while achieving beneficial economic returns.

The 36th Committee on Fisheries (COFI) meeting was held in Rome from July 8-12, 2024, with participation from 107 COFI member countries and 79 observers from intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations. The Indonesian Delegation was led by Trian Yunanda (Acting Expert Staff for Social Affairs and Inter-Institutional Relations), accompanied by Edy Putra Irawady (Special Staff of the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries), Machmud (Secretary of the Directorate General of Strengthening the Competitiveness of Marine and Fisheries Products), Ridwan Mulyana (Director of Fish Resources Management), an analyst from BHKLN, and representatives from the Indonesian Embassy in Rome. The Indonesian Delegation, in addition to presenting a statement on behalf of RPOA-IUU, also actively participated in presenting national statements on nine main agendas.