SEAFDEC-PCU organized the PSC7 Ad-hoc Meeting

The SEAFDEC/Project Coordination Unit (PCU) organized the 7th Ad-hoc Meeting of the Project Steering Committee (PSC7 Ad-hoc) on 27 May 2022. The meeting is one of the regional programs under the SEAFDEC/UNEP/GEF Project on Establishment and Operation of a Regional System of Fisheries Refugia in the South China Sea and the Gulf of Thailand. As project steering committee members, all national focal points and the national scientific and technical committee attended the meeting. Ms. Isabelle Vanderbeck: the project task manager from UNEP, Mr. Isara Chanrachkij, Head of Project Planning and Management Division from SEAFDEC Training Department, and Mr. Worawit Wanchanna, Policy and Program Coordinator from SEAFDEC Secretariat, also attended the meeting. The meeting updated the progress of national and regional activities, especially on the establishments of the fisheries refugia, legislation/fishery law reform in supporting the management of established fisheries refugia, the adoption of the regional guidelines on indicators for sustainable management of fisheries refugia, and financial and co-financing from partners. The meeting acknowledges the progress report, even though the COVID-19 pandemic impact for more than two years, from 2020 to early 2022, caused the project activities had been delayed in some countries.

In addition, the communities in the fisheries refugia sites of respective countries have been working towards enhancing the integration of habitat and biodiversity conservation into fishery management and practices, in which the 12 of 14 fisheries refugia sites of about 660,236 ha are expected to be adopted by 2022. For more information, please visithttps://fisheries-refugia.org/257-integration-of-habitat-conservation-into-fishery-management-in-south-china-sea