Two staff members from the SEAFDEC Training Department (TD) and the project team of “Enhancement of Regional Cooperation and Human Resource Development to Eliminate IUU Fishing” Mr. Kongpathai Saraphaivanich and Mr. Krit Phusirimongkol participated in the 10th Our Ocean Conference (OOC) themed “Our Ocean Our Action.” The conference was held from 28 to 30 April 2025, in Busan, Republic of Korea. During the conference, SEAFDEC/TD presented and promoted its voluntary commitment to implement the project “Enhancement of Regional Cooperation and Human Resource Development to Eliminate IUU Fishing.” This included highlighting SEAFDEC’s visibility, role, and responsibilities in Southeast Asia. As the 10th anniversary event, the OOC showcased the achievements and successful practices resulting from voluntary commitments made by the global ocean community over the past decade. This aimed to provide new inspiration and momentum for future collective action. Building upon the legacy of previous OOCs, the conference offered a platform for the global ocean community to engage in discussions centered around six core agendas and one special agenda, complemented by various side events. The six primary themes for the 10th OOC were:1) Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), 2) Sustainable Fisheries: Actions to Eliminate IUU Fishing, 3) Marine Pollution: Actions to Tackle Marine Plastic Pollution, 4) Climate Change: Actions for Carbon Reduction in Our Ocean, 5) Maritime Security: Actions for Stable International Maritime Order, 6) Blue Economy: Actions toward Creating an Innovative Framework for the Blue Economy, and 7) Digital Oceans: Actions for Advancing Sustainable Ocean through Digital Technology.
The Our Ocean Conference (OOC), first convened in the United States in 2014, has become a crucial platform for the global ocean community, encompassing governments, international organizations, global corporations, NGOs, and academia to acknowledge the ocean’s vital importance to all humanity and to encourage international cooperation for a sustainable ocean.
