HD-BOBP DIALOGUE on Development of a Marine Fisheries Research Network for BOB Region Held

On February 14th, 2023, representatives of the littoral countries of the Bay of Bengal came together in Kochi, India to discuss the future of marine scientific collaboration in the region. The event, hosted by the BOBP-IGO and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) at the Side-lines of the WGFTFB23 , was opened by Secretary of Fisheries of India, Shri Jatindra Nath Swain, IAS. Additional Secretary for BIMSTEC at the Ministry of External Affairs, Ambassador Rudrendra Tandon, and Deputy Director General (Fisheries) at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR,) Dr. JK Jena, Dr. C. Suvarna, IFS, Chief Executive, NFDB, Dr. J. Balaji, IAS, Joint Secretary (Marine) and Mr. Venu Rajamony, Officer on Special Duty, External Cooperation at Government of Kerala attended the inaugural session.

Setting the context, Dr. P Krishnan, Director, BOBP-IGO and Mr. Willem Punt, South Asia Coordinator, HD delineated the integrated nature of the BOB and transboundary nature of the issues facing the region to highlight the need for cooperation.

During the meeting, participating countries including Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand presented their reports on current research trends and priority issues. They further explored the need for stronger regional cooperation. One of the key outcomes of the event was the proposal for the establishment of a "Bay of Bengal Marine Research Network" and a working group comprising of participants from littoral states. This would identify common research avenues and regional priorities in the domain of fisheries and marine environment, explore options for financing, and promote methods of marine education in the region, including establishing short-term vocational training, joint PhD programs, exchange programs, and joint research.

In support of these efforts, the group urged littoral states to take measures to assist marine research in the region, including exploring options for financing and promoting marine education. They also called on the international community to contribute to the sustainable development of the region.

#FAO #ICES_FAO_wgftfb23 #INDIA #CMFRI #CIFT #BOBPIGO #HD #ghostfishing #ALDFG #fishing #fishingtechniques #sustainability #NFDB #Kochi #symposium #bycatch #emissions #MarineResearchNetwork #fishinginnovation #fishinggear #trawler #incidentalcatch #smallscalefisheries #G20summit

Experts Gathered at the Brainstorming Session on Strategies for Deploying Artificial Reefs and Sea Ranching in South Asia to Discuss ways to Rebuild Fish Stocks and Maintain Ecological Balance in the Face of Fishing Pressure and Climate Change

With the firm threat imposed on fishery resources and marine ecosystems by fishing pressure and climate change, there is an urgent need to rebuild fish stocks in order to meet the raising food demand and maintain the ecological balance.  In response to this need, a highly informative side event was held on 14TH February 2023 at the side-lines of the WGFTFB23 to discuss various dimensions related to past experiences, emerging challenges, and enabling policies in deploying artificial reef, and to discuss the different aspects that correspond to successful ranching programs in the future. The event brought together a wide range of experts in the field, including researchers, policymakers, and practitioners.

The overall objective of the event was to deepen the participants' understanding of the issues and challenges for deploying artificial reefs based on practical experiences, as well as the issues and challenges for stock enhancement and sea ranching. The event also aimed to develop strategies towards deploying artificial reefs and sea ranching for the region, with a special focus on India.

Dr. A. Gopalakrishnan, Director of ICAR-CMFRI, Kochi, provided a warm welcome to the participants and set the agenda for the day's proceedings. This was followed by opening remarks from Shri. Jatindra Nath Swain, IAS, Secretary, Department of Fisheries, Government of India, who highlighted the importance of artificial reefs and sea ranching for rebuilding fish stocks and maintaining ecological balance in the face of mounting threats to marine ecosystems.

The technical presentations were hosted by Dr. J.K. Jena, Deputy Director General (Fisheries) of ICAR, DARE, GoI, and Dr. E. Vivekanandan, Senior Scientific Consultant of ICAR-CMFRI and BOBP-IGO. These sessions delved deeper into the topic, providing a detailed analysis of the latest research and findings related to sea ranching and artificial reefs.

Panel Discussion on Future Proofing Small Scale Fisheries (SSF)

A Panel Discussion on Future Proofing Small Scale Fisheries (SSF): Innovations in Fishing to Enhance Contribution of SSF to Food Security held on 16th February 2023 at the side-lines of the WGFTFB23. Delegates from fisheries ministries/ departments and institutions from the region, FAO and ICES attended.
 
Welcoming the delegates, Dr. P. Krishnan, Director, BOBP-IGO highlighted the need for a modern small-scale fisheries (SSF) sector that retains the characteristics of the traditional SSF sector while addressing issues such as low productivity, falling production, and labour concerns. Mr. Jon Lansley, Fisheries Industry Officer, FAO drew attention to the Voluntary Guideline on SSF and Dr Daniel Stepputis, Co-Chair, WGFTFB23 delineated the difference in perception of people about the fisheries and reaching a common ground. Mr Sebastian Mathew from ICSF advocated adopting a standard definition for SSF and considering a metier (Characteristics)-based approach. Dr. Shiham Adam, Director, IPNLF-Maldives ,and Prof. Oscar Amarasinghe, VC, Ocean University, Sri Lanka traced the fisheries development and lessons learned in their respective countries. Dr. BK Das, Director, CIFRI made a presentation on Inland Fisheries issues.
 
The conference also discussed the possibility of designating fishing zones for the conservation of marine and coastal biodiversity. Overall, the conference aimed to raise awareness about sustainable fishing practices and the need to create a modern SSF sector capable of standing up to future challenges.

Brainstorming Session on Greening the Fisheries Sector

The emission of greenhouse gases from the marine capture fisheries sector is continuously increasing over time. To explore the role of technology in mitigating these emissions, and the management support required to make technological solutions effective, a brainstorming session was held on the topic of "Greening the Fisheries Sector: Innovations and Solutions from the Industry" on 17 February 2023 at the side-lines of WGFTFB23.
 
The event aimed to promote and identify issues related to green fishing in the Bay of Bengal Region. Various stakeholders were brought together to discuss developing energy-efficient fishing vessels and promoting green fishing operations. The objectives were to promote sustainable fishing practices in the Bay of Bengal Region, develop strategies for decarbonization of the fisheries sector, and share experiences on development and implementation issues with green fishing activities.
 
Dr. P. Krishnan, Director of BOBP-IGO, welcomed the delegates and delineated the objectives of the event. Commodore Debesh Lahiri of the National Maritime Foundation in New Delhi, and Dr. Srinivasa Kumar, Director of INCOIS in Hyderabad also spoken on the occasion highlighting the need for developing a conducive ecosystem to support fisheries. Special remarks were provided by Shri. Sagar Mehra, Joint Secretary (Inland Fisheries), Department of Fisheries, Government of India. He highlighted the international commitments made by India to reduce GHGs and invited technological solutions for the fisheries sector to contribute to the national objectives.
 
During technical session, industrial innovations and solutions for the fisheries sector were discussed. The session provided a platform for stakeholders to understand and explore innovative solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the marine capture fisheries sector, and to promote sustainable fishing practices. The need for a holistic, cross-domain effort to make fishing in the Bay of Bengal region sustainable, energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, affordable, and profitable in the end was emphasized.
 
#FAO #ICES_FAO_wgftfb23 #INDIA #CMFRI #CIFT #BOBPIGO #ghostfishing #ALDFG #fishing #fishingtechniques #sustainability #NFDB #Kochi #symposium #bycatch #emissions #CUSAT #fishinginnovation #fishinggear #trawler #incidentalcatch #smallscalefisheries #G20Summit2023

Art and Artists Add Colours to the Global Conference on 'Innovations in Fishing Technologies for Sustainable and Resilient Fisheries'

The BOBP-IGO in collaboration with professional artists and art enthusiast launched the ‘Waves of Art’ series to draw public attention on humane face of fisheries. Waves of Art Series is yet another step towards connecting fisheries with the larger society using Art as a medium. In this endeavour, the BOBP is collaborating with the Arnavaz Vasudev Charities, Cholamandal Artists Village, Chennai.

Waves of Art Series 3 – A live sketching event, with a theme on Artisanal Fisheries was conducted during the ICES-FAO International symposium on Innovations in Fishing Technologies for Sustainable and Resilient Fisheries organized by BOBP-IGO and NFDB at Kochi, India, 13-17 February, 2023. Senior Artists from Chennai and Urban sketchers of Kochi actively participated and demonstrated their sketching skills on the above theme. From 13-14 Feb 2022- 2 days’ live painting event, a panel of 72 paintings with various medium were created and displayed. It was a huge attraction and eye-catching for the participants from all around the world.

Regional Coordinated Action Emphasized in One Health Aquaculture Workshop in Kochi

One Health Aquaculture India Workshop was organized during 20-22 February 2023 in Kochi by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) and Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CMFRI) in a hybrid mode. The event was attended by about 120 delegates from India and Europe. Dr. A. Gopalakrishnan, Director, ICAR-CMFRI delivered the keynote address.
 
Participating in the workshop, Dr. P Krishnan, Director, BOBP-IGO highlighted the challenges of implementing the One Health approach at the regional level, including issues among countries to share information due to different reasons. However, timely reporting through Regional Early Warning Systems can help undertake preventive and mitigation measures.
 
Dr. Krishnan discussed the need for a regional surveillance program involving collaboration from different stakeholders, as well as innovative partnership pathways for enhancing Risk Management and monitoring Transboundary Aquatic Animal Diseases.
 
In addition, Dr. Krishnan delineated how BOBP-IGO is promoting research collaboration at the regional level and said that trust-building is like sculpting. There should be steady and sustained efforts without immediate visible outcomes.

Strategies for Harnessing Biotic Resources Highlighted in SAI 20 Blue Economy Conference

The Office of the Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) of India organized the Blue Economy Conference under the aegis of Supreme Audit Institutions of G20 Countries (SAI 20) on 27 Feb 2023 in New Delhi.

The event was attended by key officials from CAG, NITI Aayog, MoEFCC, NCSCM, World Bank, RIS, etc.

Dr. P. Krishnan, Director, BOBP-IGO, delivered a talk on the “Blue Economy: Harnessing the Biotic Resources- Indian Experience”. He highlighted the role of fisheries in the blue economy and challenges like overfishing, overcapacity, sectoral conflicts and environmental degradation.
 
He stressed the importance of data-driven fisheries management, greening the fisheries sector, futureg proofing small scale fisheries sector, etc for effective BE strategy.

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