Target 6

Overview

ASEAN fishery is a key contributor to food security, livelihoods, and economic development at the regional and global scales. Regional and national policies have been implemented to support fisheries enhancement projects, gear and seasonal catch controls, conservation partnerships, and integrated land and sea use plans.

The success of Cambodia’s community fisheries reforms is recognised regionally and globally.
Experts from Cambodia and Lao PDR work together on the conservation and monitoring of
fish stocks in transboundary waters. This partnership aims for a 10 per cent increase in fish
abundance in the Mekong and Sekong Rivers by 2021.

Similarly, Malaysia and the Philippines enhanced conservation efforts by implementing the
Ecosystem Approach for Fisheries Management (EAFM) which entails the monitoring and
rehabilitation of coral cover and coastal mangroves. Myanmar’s 6NR shows that initiatives in
aquaculture, including improved enforcement, reduced fishing season length, establishment
of three locally-managed marine areas (LMMAs), and the registration of vessels, have reduced
the harvest of wild marine biodiversity.

In its 6NR, the Philippines states some progress in preventing illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUUF) through policy and administrative reforms. The acquisition of more
up-to-date monitoring equipment has been useful in combatting illegal fishing, monitoring
and surveillance, and protecting marine biodiversity. Aiming towards aquatic biodiversity
conservation, and sustainable exploitation and use of fishery resources, Viet Nam developed and promulgated a number of legal documents including its Law on Fisheries and the establishment of 10 additional marine protected areas (MPAs). Initiatives on ecosystem-based resource management projects, control and handling of illegal activities, and the establishment of fisheries conservation areas contribute to the achievement of Aichi Target 6
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) State of Fisheries and Aquaculture2 reported that six AMS—Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam—contribute 23.08 per cent of the entire global production of marine capture fisheries in 2016.1 Notwithstanding the status of the region as a major fisheries producer, its fisheries sector in the region is unstable with an alarming decline in fish species and stocks. With the demand for fishery resources in the ASEAN region constantly increasing, the sustainability of production of fisheries and fishery products would need to be on top of the development and economic agenda. This could be the right direction to undertake especially because based on AMS’ country assessments, the ASEAN region’s collective progress towards achieving Aichi Target 6 appears to be insufficient.

Regional progress

SEAN fishery is a key contributor to food security, livelihoods, and economic development at the regional and global scales. Regional and national policies have been implemented to support fisheries enhancement projects, gear and seasonal catch controls, conservation partnerships, and integrated land and sea use plans.

Legends: