USAID Sustainable Fish Asia Technical Support

OVERVIEW 

The Indo-Pacific region is the global epicenter of marine biological diversity and home to the most productive fisheries on the planet. However, the region’s marine ecosystems are threatened by pollution, uncontrolled coastal development, climate change, and illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Distant-water fishing fleets of foreign state actors contribute to unsustainable IUU fishing, threatening regional economic, food, and maritime security. 

GOALS

Through Sustainable Fish Asia Technical Support (SuFiA TS), USAID works to promote sustainable fisheries and conserve marine biodiversity in the Indo-Pacific by:

• Improving regional sustainable fisheries policies, standards, and regulatory frameworks. 

• Promoting fair labor and sustainable fishing practices. 

• Enhancing the capacity of regional institutions and non-governmental organizations in multi-stakeholder collaboration, communications and outreach. 

KEY RESULTS 

• Improved regional fisheries management through capacity-building partnerships to strengthen member coordination, improve social inclusion in fisheries, and promote sustainable fishing practices among stakeholders with:
  • The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including the ASEAN Secretariat and ASEAN Sectoral Working Group on Fisheries 
  • The Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF), including the Regional Secretariat, Women Leaders Forum, and three technical working groups 
  • The Regional Plan of Action to promote responsible fishing practices, including combating IUU Fishing (RPOA-IUU) Secretariat
  • The Southeast Asia Fish for Justice (SEAFish) Network 
  • The Seafood and Fisheries Emerging Technologies (SAFET) conference 

• Enhanced regional capacity in impact assessments and strategic communications through three customized workshops for ASEAN, CTI-CFF, and RPOA-IUU
• Strengthened the integration of gender equality and social inclusion programming within regional  fisheries management through capacity building of CTI-CFF’s Women Leaders’ Forum members and partners
• Established the Coral Triangle Youth Ambassadors Program, engaging 13 youth from seven countries to actively lead efforts to protect the region’s marine resources
• Launched, in collaboration with SEAFish, the Small-scale Fisheries Hub, a regional network of small-scale fishers that empowers them to better advocate for their interests and advance industry-wide sustainability
• Supported the establishment and launch of the Coral Triangle Conservation Fund, providing a sustainable financial mechanism to protect, restore, and transform vital marine resources in the Coral Triangle region