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THE SOUTH CHINA SEA FISHERIES REFUGIA INITIATIVE

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SCS:LEARN - Stories from the South China Sea

SCS:LEARN - Stories from the South China Sea: Short Mackerel

SCS:LEARN - Stories from the South China Sea: Land-Based Pollution

SCS:LEARN - Stories from the South China Sea: Promoting Gender Equality in Fisheries

Short Film: SDG14 and the South China Sea

The South China Sea Fisheries Refugia Initiative

Fisheries Refugia Workshop

Larval Fish Training Workshop

Advanced Larval Fish Workshop

About Fisheries Refugia

About Fisheries Refugia

Project Document

Project Document

Refugia Guidelines

Refugia Guidelines

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The South China Sea is a global centre of shallow water marine biological diversity that supports significant fisheries that are important to the food security and export income of Southeast Asian countries. This short film outlines efforts of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) to work with communities and governments to integrate habitat and biodiversity conservation considerations into fishery management and practices. The South China Sea Fisheries Refugia Initiative is financed by the Global Environment Facility and implemented by United Nations Environment with the aim of achieving the fisheries targets of the Strategic Action Programme for South China Sea. Click here or the thumbnail to the right to view this short ~6 minute film.

This is the 1st in a series of short films documenting contemporary actions to reverse environmental and natural resource degradation trends in the South China Sea. Please follow and like this page to see more films, and also share with your colleagues and other ocean leaders to help spread the word of the many successes being achieved here in Southeast Asia.

This is the 2nd in a series of short films presenting the issue of the overexploitation of one of Southeast Asia's iconic short pelagic species. Actions of governments, fishing communities and civil society organisations to safeguard short mackerel (Rastrelliger brachysoma) stocks in the South China Sea are highlighted. Threats associated with global demand for seafood from Southeast Asia are discussed briefly in the context of the need to think globally, and act locally. Please follow and like this page to see more films, and also share with your colleagues and other ocean leaders to help spread the word of the many successes being achieved here in Southeast Asia.

This is the 3rd in a series of short films presenting the issue of land-based pollution in the South China Sea. Actions of governments, coastal communities and civil society organisations to help plan infrastructure investments using scientific tools developed through the UNEP/GEF South China Sea project are highlighted. This is the unique aspect of this initiative, in that it aims to provide tools for better management of land-based pollution in order to bring about transformational change in how counrties manage wastes associated their burgeoning economies. The environmental costs of meeting global demand for seafood, high-end electronics, and ideallic holiday getaway destinations from the global community are presented and discussed briefly in the context of the need to think globally, and act locally. Please follow and like this page to see more films, and also share with your colleagues and other ocean leaders to help spread the word of the many successes being achieved here in Southeast Asia.

This ‘Story from the South China Sea’ aims to contribute to regional efforts to promote gender equality in fisheries. The seafood supply system of Southeast Asia differs from many other parts of the world where whole families are often involved in the activity of fishing, act as market analysts, work on construction of fishing vessels and gear, right through to often running small seafood outlets that are enjoyed by the more than 300+ million people that live in coastal areas of places like the South China Sea. Of particular importance is the role of women in fisheries whom, among other things, often possess incredibly valuable information and knowledge about fish stocks and markets for seafood products, work as communicators of information about rules and regulations to protect family financial interests, and interface with administrations to support strengthened small-scale fisheries management. The need to better harness women’s knowledge and skills in fisheries is highlighted.

8th June 2017: The Sustainable Development Goals, officially known as “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, are a set of seventeen aspirational global goals with 169 targets between them. SDG 14 ‘Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development’ (or ‘Life Below Water’) has very specific targets relating to reversing coastal and marine environmental degradation. In celebration of World Oceans Day 2017 and the first UN Oceans Conference, United Nations Environment and the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center present this short film highlighting how implementation of the Strategic Action Programme for the South China Sea will contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal targets relating to ‘Life Below Water’.Click here or the thumbnail to the right to view this short ~4 minute film.

Given the limited integration of the work of fisheries and environment ministries in Southeast Asia and many other parts of the world, the establishment and operation of the regional system of fisheries refugia provides an opportunity to learn how to integrate fisheries and coastal habitat management. It is anticipated that the experience gained in the South China Sea region through this initiative will be applied in other marine areas where over-fishing and the use of inappropriate fishing gear are significant impediments to more sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources and the use of coastal habitats. To help share best practices and lessons learned a Facebook page for the initiative has been set-up at  https://www.facebook.com/fisheriesrefugia/. Please like our Facebook page to receive regular updates on project progress and innovations.

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Following a lengthy preparation phase, which involved several regional consultations and national workshops, this project was recently endorsed by the GEF’s Chief Executive Officer. As the regional executing entity for the project, SEAFDEC has subsequently signed a Project Cooperation Agreement with UNEP and the project has officially entered its inception phase. SEAFDEC is presently completing a series of inception phase tasks and will convene the Inception Workshop to launch this important regional project in Bangkok, Thailand from 1st to 3rd November 2016 at the Jasmine Executive Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand. This workshop will address, inter alia: project coordination mechanisms; the development of a results-based management system for the project; the scientific and technical support needs of the project; the planning of stakeholder engagement, including gender mainstreaming, in project execution; the development of communications and knowledge management strategies for the project; opportunities for partnerships with other regional and national programmes and projects; UNEP/GEF project management; and national and regional work plans and budgets. Workshop documents can be accessed online here.

This initiative entitled the “Establishment and Operation of a Regional System of Fisheries Refugia in the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand Sea" is working with communities and governments to integrate habitat and biodiversity conservation considerations into fishery management and practices. The initiative is financed by the Global Environment Facility, implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme, and executed regionally by the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center in partnership with the government agencies responsible for fisheries in Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. The fisheries refugia approach, which aims to safeguard habitats critical to the life cycles of important fisheries resources, will not only improve and secure biodiversity but also build resiliency for those who rely on the ocean for their food and livelihoods. By improving the way fisheries and environment ministries work together, and by linking fishing effort with coastal management practices, this initiative will provide multiple benefits for the environment and people. Click here for more information about fisheries refugia.

  1. Coastal Habitat Baseline Information

 

Cambodia

 

Indonesia

 

Malaysia

 

Philippines

 

Thailand

 

Vietnam

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