Three (3) SEAFDEC Technical Working Groups (TWG) for the USAID Oceans and Fisheries Partnership attended in “The USAID Ocean Integrated Stakeholders Consultation Workshop (ISCW)” in Manado, Indonesia from 19 to 21 June 2017. The three (3) days ISCW was organized by USAID Oceans in close collaboration with Fisheries Resources Directorate, Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF), and University of Sam Ratulangi (UNSRAT), Manado. There are stakeholder groups from national and local fisheries related government agencies, private sector, civil society organizations, and men and women fisher individual/ groups who engaged in the implementation of project activities on Workshop in Bitung Site. . The Workshop came up with proceed with the development of the Sustainable Fisheries Management Plan (SFMP) through the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM). Moreover, the SEAFDEC TWG visited Bitung fishing port to observed landing and uploading process of one-night fishing and long-trip fishing by using purse seiner, handliner, and pole and liner.
SEAFDEC in collaboration with USAID conducted the project of “The USAID Oceans and Fisheries Partnership (USAID Ocean) to strengthen regional cooperation to combat illegal unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, promote sustainable fisheries and conserve marine biodiversity in the ASEAN. The partnership seeks to achieve these objectives through the development of a “Catch Documentation and Traceability System” (CDTS) that supports enhanced traceability, fisheries management, and human welfare. Working across ASEAN and Coral Triangle member Countries, USAID Oceans has established two learning sites in General Santos City, Philippines and Bitung, Indonesia. These sites will support the development, implementation, and testing of the CDTS and will serve as a hub for regional knowledge sharing for replication and expansion.