The 4th Regional Workshop of ASEAN Network IUU Meeting

The RPOA-IUU Secretariat was invited to the 4th Regional Workshop of the ASEAN Network IUU meeting, held on July 17-18, 2024, in Bangkok, Thailand. The ASEAN Network IUU workshop is a strategic avenue aiming to promote the partnership and strengthen regional capacities and capabilities in combating IUU fishing. The meeting was attended by representatives from ASEAN countries, including Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as an official observer to ASEAN, Timor-Leste.

The opening remarks was delivered by H.E. David Daly, Ambassador of the European Union to Thailand, and Choltisak Chawpaknum, Director of Fisheries Foreign Affairs Division, Department of Fisheries of Thailand. The workshop also invited the representative from SEAFDEC and RPOA-IUU to cover the presentation about information-sharing mechanism relevant to IUU fishing eradication. In addition, the representative from Technical Cooperation Facility- Green Team Europe Initiative (TCF-GTEI) delivered their interest in the support to fight against IUU in the region.

During the sharing session, SEAFDEC presented several platforms that have been developed under ASEAN mechanism, such as the Regional Fishing Vessels Record (RFVR) and the ASEAN Catch Documentation Scheme (e-ACDS). To enhance capacity and awareness regarding the implementation of Monitoring, Control, and Surveillance (MCS) to combat IUU fishing, SEAFDEC had facilitated several regional capacity-building programs, including training courses on stock assessment, data collection, and fish population dynamics for poor data models.

Representatives from the RPOA-IUU Secretariat presented multifaceted approaches to enhance information and data exchange among RPOA-IUU participant countries through regional, sub-regional, and bilateral structures. It was also reported that the RPOA-IUU plans to intensify the dissemination of IUU fishing alerts and the development of working groups for data-sharing mechanisms.

During the afternoon session, each ASEAN member states (AMS) had an opportunity to share their implementation of domestic information exchange systems, along with the challenges, methodologies, and national regulations underpinning the information exchange. It was identified that several AMS have established command centre for monitoring the vessel movement.

In the final session, a representative from the DG Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission, explained the changes in EU regulations regarding the catch documentation scheme, transitioning from a paper-based system to an Integrated Computerized Information Management System (I-CATCH). This change is expected to enhance data validity, expedite administrative procedures for importing, and reduce gaps in data submission regarding catch reports.

The workshop also included a field trip to the Samut Sakhon Provincial Fish Market in Thailand on the second day. This trip demonstrated the practical and technical systems of Thailand's fishing ports and serve as an avenue for country to gain understanding and knowledge of Thailand’s port inspection system.

It was highlighted that collaborative actions with complementary spirit with other existing regional initiatives are required for the IUU fishing eradication