Overview of Current Status and Trends of Fisheries and Issues on Resources Enhancement in Southeast Asia

Abstract

This paper is prepared for the Symposium on Strategy for Fisheries Resources Enhancement with the objective of providing an overview of the current status and trends of fisheries in the Southeast Asian region as well as reviewing the activities on enhancement of fisheries resources within the EEZs of SEAFDEC Member Countries for discussion during the development of the Regional Strategies or Approaches on fisheries resources conservation and rehabilitation. Considering the need to address issues on fisheries resources enhancement as stipulated in the 2001 and 2011 ASEAN-SEAFDEC Resolutions and Plans of Action, several programs under the ASEAN-SEAFDEC Strategic Partnership (ASSP) have been implemented since 2003 at national and regional levels to enhance the countries’ respective fishery resources. The constraints and challenges are discussed and summarized in this paper for consideration in the overall effort towards achieving sustainable fisheries in the region.