The Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC), through its Secretary-General and Chief of the Training Department, Ms. Sampan Panjarat, delivered a video statement at the Special Session on the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF) and Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECM) during the MECOS4 International Symposium, held on 4–6 November 2025 in Kochi, India.
The session, organized under the BOBLME Project Phase II, brought together regional partners to share progress and collaboration on EAFM implementation. In her message titled “Re-positioning EAFM in the Region – Initiatives from SEAFDEC,” Ms. Sampan highlighted SEAFDEC’s ongoing efforts to promote sustainable and inclusive fisheries management through EAFM.
Since 2014, SEAFDEC/Training Department has served as a regional hub for EAFM capacity building, training over 530 fisheries officers from ASEAN Member States through E-E-EAFM, TOT-EAFM, and LEAD EAFM programs supported by FAO, USAID, the Government of Sweden, and the Japanese Trust Fund.
She emphasized the importance of field application, local participation, and continuous capacity building, as well as high-level policy support to ensure sustainability.
Ms. Sampan also noted that the launch of the C-EAFM Centre under the BOBLME Project provides an opportunity to enhance regional collaboration, exchange experiences, and further strengthen efforts in advancing EAFM practices in Southeast Asia and the Bay of Bengal region.
