Streamlined Fishery Statistical Reporting System from Southeast Asian Countries to SEAFDEC and FAO

1. Streamlined Fishery Statistical Reporting System from Southeast Asian Countries to SEAFDEC and FAO D4Science World User Meeting 25-26 November 2009, FAO, Rome, Italy

2. Content • Users community needs • Global and regional policies and initiatives related to improvement of data and information of fisheries • Experience and lessons learned in SEA in improving data and information for fisheries • Streamlined Reporting of Fishery Statistics from SEA to SEAFDEC and FAO • On-going/envisaged solutions • D4Science e-infrastructure • Future Challenges

3. Users Community Needs-1 • Fisheries and other aquatic resource uses • Multi-functionality/importance of fisheries – food security, livelihoods, economic development and trade • Tropical/multi-gear-species fisheries • Thematic issues in fisheries sector – overcapacity, unsustainable practices and weak management, climate change and its impact, international issues • Multiple water resource use  interaction and conflicts – within fisheries sectors and among sectors, lack of good governance

4. Users Community Needs-2 • Need for better understanding and knowledge of fisheries • Uniqueness of tropical fisheries and aquatic resource uses • Sound planning and management for fisheries and beyond • Limited usage of existing data and information available • Accessibility of data and information • Limited inputs from local knowledge and information

5. Global and regional policies and initiatives related to improvement of data and information of fisheries-1 • Global initiatives and framework • Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF) – 1995 • Strategies for Improving Information on Status and Trend of Capture Fisheries (2003) and Aquaculture (2007) (STF & STA) • Coordinating Working Party (CWP) for Fishery Statistics • Fishery Resource Monitoring Systems (FIRMS)

6. Global and regional policies and initiatives related to improvement of data and information of fisheries-2 • Regional policy and action framework • ASEAN-SEAFDEC Resolution and Plan of Action • Regional cooperation and reduction of disparities • Strengthening national systems focusing on clear objectives, timely provision, maximizing usage and in-country coordination • Developing regional standards and encouraging data sharing • Regional Guidelines for Responsible Fisheries in SEA – Fisheries Management, Fishery Statistics, Fisheries Indicators • Regional Framework for Fishery Statistics in Southeast Asia • Regional Advisory Committee for Fisheries Management in Southeast (RAC) • ASEAN Fisheries Consultative Forum (AFCF)

7. Global and regional policies and initiatives related to improvement of data and information of fisheries-3 • Regional policy and action framework (cont’d) • ASEAN-SEAFDEC collaborative programs (improving methodologies, sharing experiences, developing guidelines and policy recommendations)

8. Experience and Lessons Learned-1 • Review national fishery statistics and information systems • Clear objectives and priority requirements; • Identification of “gaps”; and • Mechanisms for data sharing and coordination within fishery agency and among agencies concerned at various levels; • Maximizing utilization of existing available data and information as well as indicators for planning and management; • Capacity (institutional and human) building for data collection, processing, analysis and presentation to ensure their quality and timeliness in user-friendly fashion;

9. Experience and Lessons Learned-2 • Possible use of co-management approach for management of small-scale fisheries with emphasis on its role to support data and information collection; • Strengthening collaboration among countries and organizations in developing standards, initiatives and partnerships to facilitate sharing of expertise, data and information i.e. ASEAN Network on Fishery Statistics; and • Application of Information Technology (IT) in fishery information activities to improve efficiency of exploring and utilizing the information.

10. Streamlined Fishery Statistical Reporting System from SEA Countries to SEAFDEC and FAO-1 Background: • Member Countries in SEA have been providing their national fishery statistics to FAO and SEAFDEC annually for compilation, publication, and dissemination globally and regionally • SEAFDEC & FAO compile fishery statistics based on the statistical reports obtained from the national reporting offices based on the questionnaires developed by each organization • Statistical requirements for SEAFDEC and FAO include common data items - the compilation is conducted separately using different sets of questionnaires and formats

11. Streamlined Reporting-2 Background (cont’d) • Many fishery statistical offices in the region suffer from problems such as insufficient human and financial resources, thus, reporting to international/regional organizations and fulfilling their varying requirements could cause much burden to national officers • Lead to certain degrees of inconsistencies of the fishery statistics submitted to FAO and SEAFDEC as well as significant delays or even non-submission of national fishery statistics to FAO and to SEAFDEC • This could also lead to the delay in the overall reporting of the compiled fishery statistics at the global and regional levels

12. Streamlined Reporting-3 On-going and Envisaged Solutions: • agreed by MCs and FAO at the RTC on Fishery Statistics and Information, December 2007 (initiated 2004) • in line with the new Framework of SEA to reduce the burden of the countries in reporting fishery statistics to FAO and SEAFDEC • minimize certain overlaps in the data items collated by both organizations

13. Streamlined Reporting-4 On-going and Envisaged Solutions (cont’d): • Development of new set of questionnaires • Developed the Harmonized statistical questionnaires and streamline reporting fishery statistics from the Member Countries to SEAFDEC and FAO II. Dispatch the new set of questionnaires: • FAO will continue to dispatch a set of regular questionnaires) to all SEAFDEC Member Countries – at the normal time frame (May 2009 for 2008 Statistics) • SEAFDEC will dispatch new set of SEAFDEC Questionnaires to MCs for additional information (May) • FAO will accept the MCs to complete information based on returned QN to SEAFDEC

14. Streamlined Reporting-5 On-going and Envisaged Solutions (cont’d): III. Submission of completed questionnaires: • follow the current timeframe of FAO (August 2009) IV. Focal points • Harmonization • Update the list of national focal points and share the same with FAO • Mobilize members of the ASEAN Network on Fishery Statistics of SEA to coordinate the submission and investigation on further information

15. Streamlined Reporting-6 On-going and Envisaged Solutions (cont’d): • SEAFDEC and FAO – continue to coordinate and share statistics and information received from MCs • Using the SEAFDEC-FAO questionnaires consolidated under the new framework - submission of data is expected to be faster • Harmonization process - lead to better quality of fishery statistics and information-derived vis-à-vis submission of such information within the shortest time possible to FAO and to SEAFDEC • Database on fishery statistics in Southeast Asia based on the Framework is being developed to facilitate data reporting and query and analysis on status and trend of fisheries – completed by end 2009

16. Streamlined Reporting -7 Link to D4Science e-infrastructure • SEAFDEC is developing the e-format for data inputs, processing, reporting and dissemination , including databases for data sharing and exchange • Data repositories • Management and sustainability • Data exchanges among sources • Repositories and communities • Data access including confidentiality • Requirements • Coordinated reporting

17. Future Challenges-1 Issues and Concerns: • High-level authorities’ recognition on the importance of and required support for better data and information; • The need of data and information for integrated development planning and management of multiple water resource use; • Involvement and cooperation with stakeholders under co-management approach; • The need to intensify collaboration and networking among agencies concerned in aquatic resource utilization and management; • Development of “national status and trend of fisheries” • Usage of IT for data and information collection, integration and sharing, institution and human capacity building; and • Regional Advisory Committee for Fisheries Management in SEA

18. Future Challenges-2 Actions required: • Strengthening fishery statistics and information through development of National STF and SEASOFIA • Developing Regional Framework and Interface supporting regional management of fisheries • Streamlined reporting of fishery statistics from the MCs to SEAFDEC and FAO under the new framework • Harmonized definitions, standards, and classification of fishery statistics and information to facilitate data sharing and exchange in the region, in line with international level • Intensify collaboration and networking among agencies concerned (regional and international) in aquatic resource utilization and management • Usage of IT for data and information collection, integration • Enhance capacity of the Member Countries

19. THANK YOU For more information, please visit SEAFDEC website or contact: Pouchamarn Wongsanga Information Program Coordinator SEAFDEC Secretariat P.O. Box 1046 Kasetsart Post Office Bangkok 10903, Thailand Tel.: (662) 940-6326 Fax.: (662) 940-6336 E-mail: pouch@seafdec.org http: www.seafdec.org