In 2017, IFFO, The Marine Ingredients Organisation, and GAA, The Global Aquaculture Alliance, commissioned a study on South East Asian fisheries and their relevance to fishmeal production. The project final report, delivered by Duncan Leadbitter of Fish Matter Pty., Ltd., was recently published. Its main findings and recommendations highlight a requirement for accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date information as being of prime importance to the management of the sustainability of the aquaculture supply chain. It concludes that an integrated approach, based on the concept of collaboration, is key to delivering change through positive impacts.
New data available
Following the publication of the study’s main findings and recommendations, IFFO and GAA are releasing today the full report on South East Asian fisheries. This document contains a summary of data that have not been available so far and will contribute to the expansion and the sharing of knowledge. This full report follows shortly behind the publication of SFP’s report on reduction fisheries, which includes a chapter on Asian reduction fisheries. SFP also emphasises the importance of meeting the current challenges in Asian fisheries management in the context of the growth of aquaculture in the region.
SFP’s foreword: a symbol of NGO-industry collaboration
SFP has been one of the first NGOs to pioneer the use of fishery improvement projects (FIPs), an approach that engage stakeholders, and especially industry, national governments and international organizations, in action plans that apply sound fishery management principles against agreed objectives, in a defined time period.
As such, SFP joins IFFO and GAA to urge all actors to take action together and has written the foreword to this full report.
According to Jim Cannon, CEO of SFP, “The report highlights that with adequate science and oversight, these fisheries could be highly efficient. The recommendations at the end of the report outline a number of pathways to support and inform improvements, and highlight how industry can collaborate for positive change. Industry efforts to date have helped secure formal government action in both Vietnam and Thailand to reduce the massive overcapacity of the fishing fleets, an essential step to reversing decades of overfishing. Much remains to be done, and it is critical the pace and scale of improvement accelerates.”
Jim Cannon adds: “While the challenge of fixing these fisheries is large, industry has begun taking key steps in the right direction. This new report is an important new tool in our toolbox.”
Contact:
IFFO: vjamin@iffo.net
GAA: steven.hedlund@aquaculturealliance.org
SFP: dave.martin@sustainablefish.org
Reference (open):
Duncan Leadbitter. Driving change in South East Asian trawl fisheries, fishmeal supply, and aquafeed. Report to IFFO, The Marine Ingredients Organisation and the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA). Fish Matter Pty Ltd. https://www.iffo.net/system/files/Full%20Report%20on%20South%20East%20Asia_1.pdf
Source: IFFO
