Fishery Statistical Bulletin of Southeast Asia 2018

Abstract

The Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) has been compiling the annual fishery statistics of the countries bordering the South China Sea Area for the “Fishery Statistical Bulletin for the South China Sea Area,” which SEAFDEC produced annually since 1978. Starting in 2004, however, the coverage of the compilation was changed to include the ASEAN Member States (AMSs) only, and starting with the 2008 issue, the publication was renamed the “Fishery Statistical Bulletin of Southeast Asia.”

Recognizing that the statistical data and information are useful for generating appropriate policies, actions and management approaches for the sustainable development of fisheries in the Southeast Asian region, SEAFDEC has sustained the annual publication of the “Fishery Statistical Bulletin of Southeast Asia” as a long-term program. For easy access to the information contained in the Bulletin, its contents have been strategically divided into two parts. The first part includes the summary of the statistics with an overview of the fisheries sector of Southeast Asia, which had been structured to highlight on the status and trends of fisheries in the Southeast Asian region with accompanying explanations, charts, and data tables. The second part encompasses statistical information, in the form of statistical tables that include the data on production of each fishery sector (marine capture fisheries, inland capture fisheries, and aquaculture) in terms of volume and value, data on fishing boats, producers’ price, and fish workers. As the Bulletin is also meant to constitute a primary tool for policy makers, researchers, and analysts, as well as for the general public interested in the past, present and future status and trend of the fisheries of the Southeast Asian countries, SEAFDEC ensures that the data presented in the Bulletin could also be accessed electronically through the Database of Fishery Statistics in Southeast Asia.

While acknowledging that the contents and quality of the information included in the Bulletin could not be sustained without the participation and active support of the AMSs, we express our sincere gratitude to the national agencies responsible for the collection and compilation of fishery statistics in the respective AMSs, for continuously providing the necessary data and information for the Bulletin, more particularly for this 2018 Bulletin. For the succeeding issues of the Bulletin, we look forward to having a much strengthened cooperation with the AMSs for their continued effort in providing the fishery statistics and data for the Bulletin. For such efforts of the AMSs, SEAFDEC is indeed very thankful.