To meet the needs of responsible fishing technology and practices in the region, SEAFDEC has promoted series of the selective fishing devices such as ‘Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs)’ for shrimp trawling, to ensure harmless catch of marine turtles and to release them safely and properly since 1998. Subsequently, in 2000, SEAFDEC has continued to promote the use of the ‘Juvenile and Trash Fishes Excluder Devices (JTEDs) in trawl fisheries and circle hooks in tuna longlining to address the problems on releasing juveniles and immature fish and to selectively harvest the target catch while reducing the level of unwanted catch in form of juveniles and immature and trash fish. During 2012-2015 SEAFDEC had collaborated with FAO to implement project Strategies for Trawl Fisheries By-catch Management and project Conducting Energy Audits for Thai Trawler in 2015. SEAFDEC is continuing to promote the sustainable utilization of marine and coastal fisheries resources and the ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts. The utilization of marine resources by application of the environmentally friendly fishing gear and practices should be further developed and applied in order to enhance marine biodiversity and to secure fish for the people as well as to improve ocean health of the SEAFDEC Member Countries. Furthermore, taking into consideration, the efforts to prevent and significantly reduce marine debris will be exerted. In addition, most of the capture methods used for fishing is, however, heavily depending on the utilization of fossil fuels or petroleum. For many important fisheries, the high consumption of fuel constitutes a major constraint to their economic viability but also represents a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. In general, active fishing gear like trawls and dredges can greatly impact the environment and more amounts of fuel required than other passive fishing gear as traps and hooks or other stationary fishing gear.

To facilitate the adoption of the concept Low Impact and Fuel Efficient (LIFE) Fishing as responsible fishing technology, the SEAFDEC Training Department (TD) would apply technological improvements (e.g. LED in light fishing, Marking of fishing gear, Deck machinery and its auxiliary devices) for the appropriate fishery machinery onboard fishing vessels over the traditional fishing vessels. With such technological improvements, the changes in behavior and fishing practices can greatly result in more responsible fishing manners, mitigating damages to aquatic ecosystems, reducing emissions and lowering fuel costs, and contribute to more economical and sustainable utilization of fisheries resources and to better human well-being and livelihood of the fisherfolks in the Southeast Asian region.

Through technical meeting/workshop/survey/research/study, the project aims to; 1) promote responsible fishing technology and practices to mitigate fishing impacts to marine ecosystem, 2) promote marine engineering technologies and their applicability on enhancing the capability of fuel consumption efficiency and safety in fishing operations, and 3) enhance human resource capacities on fish handling techniques onboard fishing vessels. It is also envisaged that the fishing and marine engineering technologies will be improved at national and regional levels as well as enhanced in human resources capacities in the Southeast Asian region.

Southeast Asia is one of the world’s most biologically diverse, economically productive and potentially vulnerable marine zones. The fishery production in the region exhibited a continuously increasing trend in terms of volume in 2012-2016. Marine fisheries greatly contribute to high quality seafoods and create employment and income for livelihood of the fisherfolks, specifically in marine capture fisheries. Presently, marine fisheries resources in the Southeast Asian region are heavily exploited. It is vital that marine resources must be harvested responsibly and sustainably, and the future fisheries development is governed by the availability of sustainable fish stock. Indisputably, fishing activities can sometimes adversely impact the marine environments through excessive removals of ecologically and economically valuable species, and also by a direct physical contact with critical habitats, e.g. bottom trawls. In addition, most of the capture methods used for fishing is, however, heavily depending on the utilization of fossil fuels or petroleum. For many important fisheries, the high consumption of fuel constitutes a major constraint to their economic viability but also represents a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. In general, active fishing gear like trawls and dredges can greatly impact the environment and more amounts of fuel required than other passive fishing gear as traps and hooks or other stationary fishing.

In line with the drafted Resolution and Plan of Action on Sustainable Fisheries for Food Security for the ASEAN Region Towards 2030 and corresponding the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals 14 (Life Below Water: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources), SEAFDEC maintains its continuation in promoting the sustainable utilization and protection of marine and coastal fisheries resources and the ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts. The utilization of marine resources and environmentally friendly fishing gear and practices should be further developed and applied in order to maintain biodiversity and to secure fish for the people as well as to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of the SEAFDEC Member Countries. Furthermore, taking into consideration, the efforts to prevent and significantly reduce marine debris will be exerted.

The program of activities under this project will be implemented based upon the current situation on the environmental impact of fishing gear and practices in the Southeast Asian region and national activities to mitigate those impacts to the marine ecosystem. The program of activities also includes research studies and the application and modification of marine engineering technologies on enhancing capability of fuel consumption efficiency and safety in fishing operations, reducing the emission of green-house gas and enhancing the safety-at-sea in fishing operations. Regional technical consultations and meetings along with the field practices will be periodically conducted to update the situation, share experiences, monitor the project implementation with the Member Countries. Network establishment towards the national initiatives to improve/apply the fishing technologies for supporting fisheries management will be also made.

The project will be implemented by SEAFDEC/TD in collaboration with responsible national agencies of the Member Countries, relevant organizations, institutions and other international partnerships (e.g. FAO, UN Environment, GEF, etc.) at both regional and national levels. Human resource development through the staff exchange, expert dispatchment and participation in the relevant meetings/workshops will be conducted.

The project will blend knowledge, skill and experience of senior researchers with the innovative idea of junior researchers to apply new/modern technologies to the project. Project involves mem and women with neutral and equalized.

4.1 Logical Framework 

Strategic actions for improving low impact fishing technologies are promoted by Governments and other stakeholders

Fishing technologies (i.e. fishing gear, fishing accessories, fishing practice) improved at national and regional level to reduce negative impacts to marine ecosystem

Activity 1.1: 
Regional Technical Meeting to identify and information gathering of environmental impacts fishing gear and practices in Southeast Asia and national activities/legislation to reduce/mitigate impacts of fishing gear and practices to marine ecosystem

Activity 1.2: Research/study/survey on the appropriate technique to reduce/mitigate environmental impacts of fishing gear and practices to marine ecosystem

Activity 1.3: Human resources development on techniques to reduce bycatch and discards, and mitigate impacts to habitat and vulnerable species

Activity 1.4: Information dissemination on the fishing techniques, i.e. fishing gear, fishing accessories and fishing practices, to reduce bycatch and discards, and mitigate impacts to vulnerable species

Marine engineering technologies (i.e. fuel efficiency, and green-house gas reduction and safety of fishing operation at sea) improved at national and regional level

Activity 2.1: Regional technical meeting on information gathering of the fuel consumption in fishing operation and/or safety on fishing operation of major fishing operation in Southeast Asia (2020 and 2024)

Activity 2.2: Research/study/survey on the appropriate technique to manage the fuel consumption, carbon emission and/or safety on fishing operation

Activity 2.3: Human resources development on techniques to manage the fuel consumption, carbon emission and/or safety on fishing operation

Activity 2.4: Information dissemination on techniques to manage the fuel consumption, carbon emission and/or safety on fishing operation

Regional and national human
resources in fish handling
techniques onboard fishing
vessels improved

Activity 3.1: Human resource development on fish handling techniques onboard fishing vessels (Trainer level)

Activity 3.2: Human resource development on fish handling techniques onboard fishing vessels (National Scale)

Activity 3.3: Information dissemination on fish handling techniques onboard fishing vessels