The SEAFDEC Training Department (SEAFDEC/TD), with support from the Japanese Trust Fund (JTF) under the project “Enhancement of Regional Cooperation and Human Resource Development to Eliminate IUU Fishing,” organized the Regional Training on Introduction and Methodology for Estimating IUU Fishing Losses in Southeast Asia from 16 to 18 June 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand. A total of 34 participants from SEAFDEC Member Countries, the SEAFDEC Secretariat, and the SEAFDEC Training Department participated in the training. The training aimed to strengthen the capacity of SEAFDEC Member Countries in understanding the concepts, drivers, and impacts of Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing losses, as well as to introduce practical methodologies and approaches for estimating the economic and resource losses caused by IUU fishing.
Throughout the three-day Training, participants were introduced to key concepts and definitions of IUU fishing losses, FAO guidelines on methodologies and indicators for estimating the magnitude and impact of IUU fishing, and regional experiences from the Pacific. The Training also included technical sessions on statistical challenges, data gaps, and the use of the R program for estimating IUU fishing losses under different scenarios. Through lectures, practical exercises, and regional exchange, the Training provided participants with practical tools and knowledge to support evidence-based decision-making and strengthen collective efforts to combat IUU fishing in Southeast Asia.
