The SEAFDEC Training Department (SEAFDEC/TD) conducted a two-day virtual webinar entitled “Sharing Knowledge and Experience Regarding Fishing Gear Marking for the Sub-regional Study on Lost Fishing Gear and Fishing Gear Marking” on 21–22 October 2025. The event aimed to address issues related to Abandoned, Lost, or Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG). The webinar supports the BOBLME Phase II project by promoting fishing gear marking (FGM) and developing regional guidelines. In total, 76 people participated in this two-day virtual webinar, with the daily attendance figures being 57 and 19, respectively.
The first day, an Open Session, featured experts from organizations including the Indigo Waters Institute (Taiwan), the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF), the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) Indonesia, the Department of Fisheries (DOF) Thailand, the Aerial Recon & Recovery Initiative (ARRI), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI). These resource persons shared crucial knowledge, research, and best practices on FGM and ALDFG mitigation.
The second day was a Closed Session for the BOBLME Project Phase II Participating Countries in Southeast Asia. They used the information to discuss and draft a plan of activities for an FGM study/trial to be implemented in their countries, aligning with the project’s goal to reduce marine pollution.
