http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12066/5983 2026-06-19T13:58:05Z http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12066/7675 Fish for the People Vol.24 No.1 Co-management of fishery resources fosters a collaborative environment where every stakeholder, from resource users to government authorities, takes part and share responsibilities related to information, decision-making and implementation. In practice, however, power sharing can vary significantly. The integration of the ecosystem approach to fisheries management (EAFM), which looks at fisheries management as a whole ecosystem, where ecological, social and governance are considered, complements the fisheries co-management approach. To ensure management strategies are effective and context specific, the use of SWOT analysis is recommended during the planning phase to identify strengths and challenges unique to the area. This collaborative model can help enhance the livelihoods of small-scale fishing communities and promote sustainability through collective action. Women comprise nearly half of the small-scale capture fisheries workforce. Despite this, their contributions have remained “invisible,” and they continue to face an uphill battle in terms of participation in decision-making as well as access to resources and financial services. Traditional gender stereotypes and a lack of confidence due to skills gaps continue to limit women’s participation in leadership roles and capacity-building activities. SEAFDEC, at the forefront of mainstreaming gender equality in fisheries in the Southeast Asian region, has made gender a cross-cutting issue in its Plan of Action on Sustainable Fisheries for Food Security Towards 2030. Collaborative projects, such as the one with FAO and several Member Countries (Lao PDR, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Thailand), help ensure that both men and women have equal opportunities to shape policies that sustain their livelihoods. 2026-06-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12066/7674 Developing Efficient Strategic Plans for Small-scale Fisheries Co-management: Case Study in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Thailand Tiaye, Rattana; Suasi, Thanyalak; Sopha, Lieng The case study, which aims to develop efficient strategic plans for small-scale fisheries co-management utilizing SWOT analysis, was conducted under the project “Community Fisheries Co-management: Capacity Building and Sharing Experiences and Lessons Learned among Mekong Region Member Countries” implemented by the Community Fisheries Development Department (CFDD) of the Fisheries Administration (FiA), Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) of Cambodia, with support from the Mekong-Lancang Project. Its main objective is to strengthen the capacity of officers and relevant stakeholders in fisheries co-management for sustainable fisheries resource management by sharing experiences, good practices, and lessons learned among the participating countries, namely: Thailand, Lao PDR, Viet Nam, China, and Cambodia. The Mekong-Lancang Project provided support for the conduct of the case study, which focused on its three participating countries that are also ASEAN Member States (AMSs): Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Thailand. Under the Community Fisheries Co-management Project of CFDD, several capacity-building activities were conducted, such as the Training Workshop on Fisheries Co-management on 11–17 June 2023 in Siem Reap Province, Cambodia; Field Visit to fisheries co-management sites in Lao PDR and Thailand on 25–29 September 2023; and Reflection on the Co-management Situation in Siem Reap Province, Cambodia on 30 November–01 December 2023. The participants in the Training Workshop included representatives from the Mekong-Lancang Participating Countries—Thailand, Lao PDR, Viet Nam, China, and Cambodia, with resource persons from various institutions, including those from Conservation International (CI), Culture and Environment Preservation Association (CEPA), and the Training Department (TD) of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC). The fishers’ groups from the study sites in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Thailand also participated in focus group discussions. Several staff members from SEAFDEC/TD took part in activities to facilitate knowledge- and experience-sharing on fisheries co-management. 2026-06-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12066/7673 Identifying Gender Perspectives in Small-scale Fisheries and Aquaculture in Southeast Asia through Access and Control Profiles Sornkliang, Jariya; Mercene-Buazon, Mildred S.; Guliman, Wilhelmina Pearl; Rattanapun, Eakapal; Chanprang, Krissana; Mar, Myatt Khin; Sibounthong, Dongdavanh The Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) is recognized as one of the regional fisheries organizations that promote gender equality, enabling women to participate fully in the fisheries value chain and gain recognition for their work. Women provide significant contributions to the fishery industry. However, limited access to resources has resulted to gender inequalities in economic development, leading to women’s invisibility as major players in the fishery industry. Women comprise almost half of the labor force in small-scale capture fisheries-related activities. While men fish farther from shore, women are engaged in local small-scale fishery activities inshore to earn additional income for their households. These include harvesting shellfish and seaweeds for sale and family consumption, repairing nets, processing fish products, and marketing, in addition to managing their households and taking care of their families. Nonetheless, the ‘invisibility’ of women in small-scale fisheries has been recognized lately and is being addressed through programs and projects that aim to mainstream gender into fisheries development (Needham, 2011). 2026-06-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12066/7672 Advancing Gender Roles in Fisheries Group Development: A Case Study in Indonesia Nurwanti; Muthmainnah, Dina The southern part of Sumatra Island in Indonesia comprises five provinces: South Sumatra, Lampung, Jambi, Bengkulu, and Bangka Belitung. The Research Institute for Inland Fisheries and Extension, hereinafter abbreviated as RIIFE, was established in 1969 to serve as a technical implementation unit of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Republic of Indonesia, in the field of inland fisheries research and fisheries extension. Under the responsibility of the Chairman of the Marine and Fisheries Research and Human Resources Agency, RIIFE has an important task of carrying out extension activities in these five provinces, performed by the Fisheries Extension Officers targeting the island’s leading actors and business actors based on Law Number 16 of 2006 concerning Agricultural, Fisheries, and Forestry Extension Systems. In addition, Law Number 7 of 2016, concerning the Protection and Empowerment of Fishers, Fish Cultivators, and Salt Farmers, extends the role of Fisheries Extension Officers in providing assistance and counseling that empower the leading actors and marine and fisheries business actors. In the five provinces of Southern Sumatra in Indonesia, three major fisheries groups have been established with the assistance of Fisheries Extension Officers. Analysis of gender roles in fisheries has been initiated by the Inland Fishery Development and Management Department of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC/IFRDMD). This article is therefore aimed at advancing the role of gender in establishing fisheries groups in the five provinces of southern Sumatra Island, Indonesia. 2026-06-01T00:00:00Z