Highlights of the 4th Regional Scientific and Technical Committee Meeting (RSTC4)

SEAFDEC/PCU organized the 4th Regional Scientific and Technical Committee Meeting (RSTC4) via Zoom Platform on July 22nd, 2021. The RSTC4 aims to harness the national scientific and technical expertise and knowledge required to inform the policy, legal and institutional reforms for fisheries refugia management in the South China Sea and the Gulf of Thailand. The RSTC4 was attended by National Scientific and Technical Focal Points from 6 participating countries, regional experts, scientists from national institutions, and SEAFDEC/Training Department. A total of 43 participants, including 21 females and 22 males.

A total of 70 activities at national and regional levels, implemented from 2020 to June 2021, are summarized. It highlights the achievements of the project implementation, particularly the planned outputs such as seven fisheries profiles, revision of fisheries law, regulation, fisheries management plan, strategic plan, and adoption of the Regional Action Plan for Short mackerel. Significantly, two adopted fisheries refugia in Cambodia together with a total of 5 tentative fisheries refugia in Malaysia (2), Thailand (2), and Cambodia (1). The activities-based progress in percentage and cumulative expenditure and co-financing to date from all executed partners are presented.

A highlight of the project implementations are as follows:

1) A total of 73 activities were conducted by six participating countries, namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam.

2) A total of 2 Fisheries Refugia were adopted by the Royal Government of Cambodia:

1) in Koh Kong for Short Mackerel, and

2) In Kep for Blue Swimming Crab

3) Five Fisheries Refugia are in processing for adoption:

• Short Mackerel Fisheries Refugia in Trat, Thailand

• Blue Swimming Crab Fisheries Refugia in Surat Thani, Thailand

• Spiny Lobster Fisheries Refugia in Tanjung Leman, Malaysia

• Tiger prawn in Miri, Malaysia

• Juvenile Grouper in Kampot, Cambodia

4) Revision of fisheries law, regulation, fisheries management plan, Strategic plan:

• Cambodia adopted the 5-year Action Plan for Marine Fisheries Management Area, including management measures in KEP Province

• Cambodia also adopted the Strategic Plan for Fisheries Conservation and Management 2020 – 2029 (includes FMA: Fisheries Management Area/FR)

• Cambodia revised Fisheries Law by including FR

• Thailand reformed the law, regulation, and management of Fisheries Refugia

• Malaysia evaluates and identifies management measures based on scientific findings.

Preparation for Action Plan for short mackerel refugia management in Koh Kong Provinces (Oct.20)

5) Stakeholder Consultations:

• Cambodia conducted four consultations and three field surveys to finalize the Marine Fisheries Management Area map of the Juvenile Grouper Refugia in Kampot province.

• the Philippines conduct Stakeholder consultations in three priority Refugia sites; a total of 413 persons attended.

• Consultation Meeting for establishing fisheries refugia of Penaeid shrimp in West Kalimantan, Indonesia

• Thailand conducted Stakeholder Consultation to finalize the fisheries refugia boundary areas:

• At Trat for short mackerel: five meetings in 5 districts. A total of 400 stakeholders engaged in the discussion

Thailand conducted Stakeholder Consultation to finalize the fisheries refugia boundary areas:

• At Surat-thani for blue swimming crab: covering 7 Districts where 497 stakeholders engaged in the discussion

6) Fisheries Refugia Profiles (will be published and online in August 2021):

• Profile for Short Mackerel in Trat, Thailand

• Profile for Short Mackerel in Koh Kong, Cambodia

• Profile for BSC in Surat Thani, Thailand

• Profile for BSC in Kep, Cambodia

• Profile for Grouper in Kampot, Cambodia

• Draft Profiles for the Philippines: including three priority sites

7) Regional Programs:

• The Third Regional Scientific and Technical Committee Meeting (RSTC3) was held on February 5th-7th, 2020, in Hai Phong, Viet Nam.

• The Third Project Steering Committee Ad-hoc Meeting (PSC3-Adhoc) was held online on June 16th, 2020 with aimed to finalize on the proposed two-years project extensions from 2021 to 2022./li>

• The Fourth Project Steering Committee Ad-hoc Meeting was also held online on October 6th, 2020 with aimed to adopt the budget revision and the proposed costed Workplan for the two-years project extensions./li>

• Information and Knowledge dissemination

8) Progress in Percentage (by activities)

9) Cumulative Expenditures To-date (As of June 30th, 2021)

10) Co-financing from Executed Partners as of June 30th, 2021

For more information, please visit our website: https://fisheries-refugia.org/refugia-events

updated 23 July 2021/p>