PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

In strengthening management for small-scale fisheries, it is envisaged that the regional guidelines will form the basis to clarify strategies for this purpose. The project is therefore proposed with the following specific objectives:

1) The regional guidelines on “Co-management Using Group User Rights for Small-scale Fisheries in the ASEAN Member Countries” will be promoted and clarified with responsible management institutions in the member countries through various kinds of activity;

2) The regional guidelines on “Co-management Using Group User Rights for Small-scale Fisheries in the ASEAN Member Countries” will be verified through case study process in some selected member countries for the improvement on applicability of the guidelines in the ASEAN region.

3) The human capacity on rights-based fisheries and co-management of fishery management institutions at all levels: community, local and central government, is enhanced; and

3. PROGRESS OF ACTIVITIES IN THE YEAR 2007

Regarding the unclear financial situation and fund not be allocated, the activities for the year 2007 could not be implemented but the project still be intended to maintain dialogues with partner organizations in mainstreaming concept and application of co-management with emphasis on the application of rights-based fisheries management for small-scale fisheries and continued to provide policy and technical advices.

The Thirtieth Meeting of the SEAFDEC Program Committee, 26-28 November 2007

4. PROPOSED ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR 2008

All proposed activities under this project will be transferred to the project entitled “Promotion of Rights-based Fisheries through Co-management Approach for Small-scale Fisheries in the Southeast Asian Region” under the program on the Promotion of Rights-based fisheries and co- management towards institutional building and participatory mechanism for coastal fisheries management.

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Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center

PROGRAM DOCUMENT

Program Category: Program under the ASEAN-SEAFDEC FCG Mechanism

Program Title: Improvement of Statistics and Information for Planning and Management of Fisheries in the ASEAN Region

Lead Department: The Secretariat Lead Country: Thailand

Total Duration: 2007-2009 1. INTRODUCTION

Fishery statistics, data and information in fisheries which generally also include registration, records, reporting, census and surveys, and other data and information including indicators; use of advanced information technology and database that are derived either from routine and non- routine system are widely accepted as basis and being crucial for determination of national fisheries policies, formulation of national management frameworks and actions or even basis for understanding the status and condition of fisheries resources.

SEAFDEC plays a prominent role in fishery statistics in Southeast Asia and has been assembling regional fishery data and information for many decades. SEAFDEC’s support and direction on improvement of fishery statistics in the region are strengthening national fishery statistical systems, maximize their use for fisheries planning and management, and develop standard definitions and classifications to facilitate regional fishery statistics and information exchange. SEAFDEC is currently implementing a number of collaborative programs/projects and initiatives related to data and information on fisheries in the region to support member countries in improving statistics, data and information for management and planning of fisheries. However, the implementation of activities and outcomes from each project was planned in isolation resulted in lacking of focus in the improvement of data and information collection, analysis and presentation that lead to the lack of their usage for effective planning and management of fisheries.

It was found that there are still many issues and constraints under current situation in relation to the usage of quality fishery statistics, data and information to support development planning and management of fisheries. They are i.e. framework and direction are not well coordinated and implemented; lack of shared objective and direction to complement each other; need of clear objectives and usage at various levels; statistics for management requirements; and linkages and coordination between routine and non-routine data collection. In addition, problems still exist on quality, timeliness, accuracy of data and information for maximizing their usage for effective planning and management.

SEAFDEC recognized the importance of better understanding and knowledge of fisheries in the region for development planning and management of fisheries to achieve sustainable fisheries and food security purposes. To fulfill this goal, it is generally noted that fishery statistics, data and information are important foundation which required improvement of better national fishery statistical system in terms of quality, availability, reliability, accuracy and timeliness of statistics in line with the minimum requirements and the regionally standardized definitions and classifications for fishery statistics to facilitate regional compilation, analysis and data exchange, as well as ways and means to present information in user-friendly manner for management and decision-making. In addition, data and information from other sources are also crucial important that linkage and integration and harmonization should be promoted in maximizing its utilization for effective planning and management of fisheries.

The Thirtieth Meeting of the SEAFDEC Program Committee, 26-28 November 2007

2. PROGRAM 2.1 Objectives

The overall objective of the project is to improve better understanding and knowledge of fisheries and aquaculture in the region by maximizing usage of data and information for fisheries management, which can be achieved through development of status and trends of fisheries and aquaculture in the region based on effective utilization and harmonization of information for fisheries management at national level under the harmonized definitions, standards and classification of fishery statistics at regional level. The specific objectives are as follows:

1) To improve better knowledge of fisheries for development planning and management through development of status and trend of fisheries and aquaculture in Southeast Asia;

2) To streamline reporting of fishery statistics from the member countries to SEAFDEC and FAO through the new framework of SEAFDEC Fishery Statistical Bulletin of Southeast Asia;

3) To harmonize definitions, standards, and classification of fishery statistics and information to facilitate data sharing and exchange in the region;

4) To improve better utilization and harmonize information from projects implemented by SEAFDEC for fisheries management in Southeast Asia; and

5) To enhance capacity of the member countries in development, integration and maximizing usage of data and information for development planning and management of fisheries through the process, mechanism and outputs to promote in country coordination and inter- countries coordination based on dialogues among agencies and countries concerned.

2.2 Program description

The project will support the Member Countries in achieving sustainable fisheries objectives based on sound fisheries policies and management strategies that will be derived from quality statistics, data and information. The project aimed to address these issues to better utilization and harmonized information to support development planning and management of fisheries through development of status and trend of fisheries and aquaculture, through facilitating cooperation in the region both at national and regional levels by mobilizing data and information from various sources. The project will be implemented in collaboration with regional and international organizations.

Based on past achievement and experiences in supporting the member countries in improvement of fishery statistical systems, the project will build on top from the past achievement and develop the linkage/coordination and integration of existing data and information for maximizing its utilization for planning and management of fisheries at national and regional level.

3. PROGRESS OF ACTIVITIES IN THE YEAR 2007

Project/Activity Title Duration Remarks

Component 1: Streamline Reporting of Fishery Statistics from