Report of the technical workshop on regional fishing vessel record (RFVR) database development and management in Southeast Asia

Abstract

The Head of Information and Training Division of the SEAFDEC Training Department (SEAFDEC/TD), Mr. Bundit Chokesanguan provided brief information about the Project on “Promotion of Sustainable Fisheries and Countermeasures to Reduce IUU Fishing in Southeast Asia which has been implemented by SEAFDEC since 2011. He mentioned that during the implementation of the Project two relevant meetings had been convened, namely: 1) Regional Core Experts Meeting on Fishing License, Boats Registration and Information Gathering on Export of Fisheries Products in Southeast Asia in 2011, and 2) Experts Group Meeting on Fishing Licensing and Boats Registration in Southeast Asia in 2012. As a result of such meetings, TD proposed for the establishment of the RFVR which was approved by the SEAFDEC Council during its 45th Meeting in April 2013 in the Philippines. Subsequently, the Special Senior Officials Meeting of the Thirty-Fourth Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (Special SOM-34th AMAF) also supported the establishment the RFVR as a tool to combat IUU fishing in the Southeast Asian region.