Over the years, the Training Department (TD) has initiated Departmental Programs aiming to enhance capacity of TD staff for providing the effective supports to SEAFDEC Member Countries through various projects and activities implemented by TD. In addition, the project has secondary objective to support Department of Fisheries, Thailand by conducting the research studies in harmonizing with DOF Thailand policies and interests. Due to budget constraint, TD will prioritize the activities that can emphasize both objectives. The project has focused on the reduction the negative impact of marine environment through the research and development of responsible fishing technologies and practices, improvement deck machineries and on-board handing, and strengthen fisheries governance. This project strengthens the multi-agencies collaboration with the Department of Fisheries (DOF) Thailand and other government agencies relevant to fisheries, such as Department of Coastal Marine and Resources, Fish Marketing Organization of Thailand, Fisheries Academies, Institutes and Universities of Thailand, local fisheries association and private sectors. The project applies the holistic approach to emphasize ecological welling-being, human well-being, and governance. The activities are focused on research and development, sea trials and demonstrations, technical assistance, and human resources development.

Envisage outcomes of the project is the achievement of TD projects and activities.
The expected outputs are the competent TD staff to implement the TD projects that will be reflected by the references of activities e.g., reports, articles, publications and other information extension and communication material of the subjects, as follow.
1. Fishing technologies and marine engineering to support sustainable fisheries by mitigating impacts of fisheries resources and marine ecosystem.
2. Fisheries resources, marine environmental, social well-being and livelihood to support sustainable fisheries.
3. SEAFDEC database for fisheries management.

The activities focus on the improvement of appropriate fishing and marine engineering technologies and practices. The activities aim to improve the competence of TD staff by conducting the small research studies on the modification of fishing gears and methods, marine engineering includes deck
machineries to reduce manpower, on-board handing, energy saving, and safety of fisher at sea. Study on the economic impacted from the technology modifications is categorized in this activity. The additional activity outputs are to produce and improve TD training materials and references of fishing technologies and marine engineering to support TD training courses for junior researcher and extension officers of DOF Thailand, and undergraduate students from universities in Thailand. This includes the technical support on the monitoring and survey on fishing gear, fishing boats and deck machinery to support fisheries management of Thailand and other specific purposes.

The activities are emphasized on multidisciplinary research to investigate impact of habitat and ecosystem focus on fisheries resources, oceanography and marine environment from fishing operations. The study of the environmental impact of marine debris and microplastic is one of the topics conducted under this activity. Due to climate change and its effects on fish, fisheries, and aquaculture, as well as on livelihoods, paying particular attention to Southeast Asia, mainstreaming climate change into TD projects can support the understanding, awareness building of TD staff who involve with the TD projects.

TD has conducted activities to introduce community-based resources management/co-management and project to improve small-scale fisheries management since 2013. The amount of data from the surveys has been collected from the pilot sites. To facilitate effective data utilization by TD researchers, TD conducts the activity to develop database system for socioeconomic. The technical knowledge of database development is not only to support TD researchers but also can be extended to SEAFDEC Member Countries if there are any requests.

Advanced technology to support fisheries research survey (Handbook of the Scientific Echo Sounder EK-80 installation for M.V. SEAFDEC 2. The handbook is used as a reference for TD technical staff or researchers who are responsible for EK-80 maintenance, repairing, and improvement in the future.)

The handbook of the Scientific Echo Sounder EK-80 installation for M.V. SEAFDEC 2 is under production.
(Remark: Handbook on the Utilization of Scientific Echo Sounder EK-80 is under production by Dr. Koki Abe, Senior Advisor of SEAFDEC/TD under the Project Responsible Fishing and Practices)

Study on the type and amount of debris in the surface layer of Chao Phraya River that flows into the Gulf of Thailand

Data collection was conducted for 12 months and completed in 2023. The data analysis is ongoing. The study is supported by the Japanese Trust Fund to invite the Professor, Dr. Toshihide Kitakado, from Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology to introduce the model to assess the amount of floating debris runoff from Chao Phraya River. The data analysis is expected to be completed at the end of 2023.

Preliminary study on the End-of-Life Fishing Gear (EOLFG).

The desk study will be reviewed as the secondary data on the EOLFG in Thailand. SEAFDEC researchers participated in the online meeting/seminar on ALDFG to obtain the information on EOLDG, as follows.
1. COBSEA Regional Workshop on Ghost Gear in the East Asian Seas (In person), 1–3 March 2023, United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok, Thailand and online.
2. Online PROBLUE Global Engagement Forum: Lost at Sea: Combating Abandoned, Lost and Otherwise, Discarded Fishing Gear, 28 March 2023, Paris, France.
3. Online Sasakawa Peace Foundation: International Workshop on Prevention of Abandoned, Lost or Otherwise Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG)” on 5 September 2023 at Tokyo, Japan.
4. The International Conference on Ghost Gear 2023 during 7–8 November 2023, in Adendal, Norway. SEAFDEC expert will present SEAFDEC activity entitled “Trial on the ALDFG Data Collection in Thailand”, SEAFDEC lessons learnt from the Collaboration with FAO and Future Plan.

Development of database system to support fisheries socio-economic and small-scale fisheries.

The database system of small-scale fisheries in Krabi province, Thailand is developed under the web-based system for convenient access, however, the database is now in the process of improvement and adding more information concerning user friendly. Activity is considered completed.