Application of GIS and remote sensing for advancing sustainable fisheries management in Southeast Asia

Abstract

Through the adoption of the ASEAN-SEAFDEC Plan of Action on Sustainable Fisheries for Food Security for the ASEAN Region Towards 2020 by the Senior Officials of the ASEAN-SEAFDEC Member Countries in June 2011, the countries recognized that various “management approaches are required to sustainably manage the region’s critical coastal habitats, such as mangroves, coral reefs, and sea grasses,” and that “information on the appropriate measures and interventions should be disseminated to improve fisheries management.” At the same time, the countries also agreed that there is a need to “enhance the resilience of fisheries communities to participate and adapt to the changes in environmental conditions of inland and coastal waters” as indicated in the ASEAN-SEAFDEC Resolution on Sustainable Fisheries for Food Security for the ASEAN Region Towards 2020 also adopted in June 2011. In this connection, this article therefore provides some insights on the application of geographical information system (GIS) and remote sensing (RS) technologies as means to advance the development and management of inland and marine capture fisheries in the Southeast Asian region.