The database system of the Regional Fishing Vessels Record (RFVR) (here after called “RFVR”) is an online system collaboratively established by the ASEAN Member States (AMSs) under the ASEAN-SEAFDEC Strategic Partnership (ASSP) mechanism. The special SOM-34th AMAF, 13-14 August 2013, agreed in principle to establish a Regional Fishing Vessels Record (RFVR) as a tool to combat IUU fishing in the Southeast Asian region.

The RFVR database consists of 28 key data elements to support the fishing vessel inspectors in preventing Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing vessels. It is expected that RFVR will work as a practical tool for related authorities of the ASEAN Member States (AMSs) in checking and taking corrective actions against inappropriate behavior of its fishing vessels, thereby supporting the elimination of IUU fishing in the Southeast Asian region. For example, AMSs can take appropriate actions against “stateless vessels, IUU fishing vessels, pouching” by sharing information and identifying problematic vessels through the collective fishing vessels information in the RFVR. Therefore, periodically updating the RFVR is needed to assure that the shared fishing vessels information among the ASEAN Member States (AMSs) could prevent and eliminate IUU fishing in the Southeast Asian region.

SEAFDEC/Training Department, as a RFVR database system center, revised the system to replace the old version of RFVR established in 2015. The key changes of the RFVR new version are: 1) AMSs can upload all country vessels information and manage users to the RFVR directly via the web-based application, 2) the RFVR is opened to public users with limited access, 3) Dashboard, and 4) download related documents functions.

Imsamrarn N. (2022). User’s Manual Regional Fishing Vessels Record (RFVR) Database System. Training Department, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center.