SEAFDEC/Training Department

05/06/2026

𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹-𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗨𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀

SEAFDEC/TD, in collaboration with the Fisheries Development and Restoration Group, Marine Fisheries Research and Development Division, Department of Fisheries, Thailand, organized the training course on “Reducing the Costs of Fishing Operations in Small-Scale Fisheries Using Solar Cells” on 4 June 2026 at the Bang Saphan Fisheries Association, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, Thailand.

The training brought together fisheries officers, marine research personnel, and local small-scale fishermen from Bang Saphan District to enhance their knowledge of renewable energy applications in fisheries. The program focused on introducing solar-cell technology as an alternative energy solution to help reduce operational costs in small-scale fishing activities. Participants learned about the principles of solar energy, the benefits of clean energy in fisheries, the main components of solar-cell systems, equipment selection, installation techniques, and basic maintenance procedures. Hands-on practical sessions were also conducted to provide participants with experience in safely installing and operating solar-cell systems on small fishing vessels.

During the opening ceremony, Ms. Sampan Panjarat, Chief of the Training Department, emphasized the importance of adopting sustainable technologies to improve the livelihoods of coastal fishing communities while reducing environmental impacts. A total of 40 participants attended the training, including 20 local fishermen, 16 staff members from Marine Fisheries Research and Development Centers in Samut Prakan, Rayong, Chumphon, Ranong, Phuket, Satun, Songkhla, and Narathiwat, as well as four officers from the Department of Fisheries headquarters.

SEAFDEC/TD expressed its hope that the knowledge gained from the training program would enable participants to apply solar-cell technology in their fishing operations and further promote sustainable fisheries development in the region.

05/06/2026

𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗨𝗣!

FAO and SEAFDEC will co-organize the Regional Workshop on
“Key Challenges and Practical Solutions for Multispecies/Multigear (MSMG) Fisheries Management“
📍 Century Park Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand
📅 8–12 June 2026

We look forward to productive discussions, knowledge sharing, and practical sessions that contribute to sustainable fisheries for the future 🌏💙
🌊🐟 𝘉𝘺 𝘐𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘖𝘯𝘭𝘺

04/06/2026

𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗙𝗗𝗘𝗖/𝗧𝗗 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗲𝗶 𝗗𝗮𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗢𝗰𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀: 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲

Two SEAFDEC/TD researchers, Mr. Santiphong Putsa (Fishing Technology Researcher) and Dr. Supapong Pattarapongpan (Fishery Oceanographic Researcher), participated as guest speakers in the “Brunei Darussalam Conference on Sustaining Our Oceans: Innovation, Governance, and Resilience For A Blue Future” held from 2 to 4 June 2026 at the Pro-Chancellor Arts Centre, UBD, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam. This event was organized by the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism, Brunei Darussalam in collaboration with the University of Brunei Darussalam (UBD), the Maritime and Port Authority of Brunei Darussalam (MPABD), and Poni Group Sdn Bhd in conjunction with the Mid-year Conference and Exhibition (MYCE) 2026.

During the conference, Mr. Santiphong and Dr. Supapong, who participated in the Brunei Darussalam Expedition conducted from 4 to 6 May 2026 at Pelong Rocks, Brunei Darussalam, presented their findings from the expedition under the “Thematic Topic 5–Expedition Findings”. This session focused on the preliminary results of the expedition, highlighting key observations and initial data to support evidence-based insights, ongoing analysis, and informed decision making.

The insights from the expedition proved invaluable to the discussion, and the findings from the conducted field research in Brunei waters will greatly contribute towards marine resource management and policy direction.

31/05/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝗳𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 "𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸" 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼𝗹𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗻𝘀? 🐬 💬

High-Frequency Acoustic Transmitter 🔊 —a smart technology designed to mitigate the impacts of fishing gear on marine mammals. 🌊 💙

30/05/2026

30/05/2026

𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗙𝗗𝗘𝗖 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗢𝗨 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰-𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘂𝗺 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

On 29 May 2026, the SEAFDEC representative, Dr. Taweekiat Amornpiyakrit, General Administrative Division Head, served as an honorary witness at the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony between the Department of Fisheries, the Department of Mineral Fuels, PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited (PTTEP), PTTEP International Limited, and PTTEP Energy Development Company Limited at the Energy Complex in Bangkok, Thailand. The agreement establishes a cooperative framework for repurposing decommissioned petroleum production platforms into artificial marine habitats.

This collaborative initiative aims to drive a concrete research project in the Gulf of Thailand. By transforming former petroleum structures into thriving marine ecosystems, the cooperation will promote the long-term restoration and conservation of fishery resources. Ultimately, the MOU establishes clear operational guidelines for all parties involved, ensuring these platforms successfully enhance Thailand's marine biodiversity and benefit local fisheries for years to come.

Photo credits: Dissemination And Public Relation Group, Office of Secretary, Department of Fisheries, Thailand

30/05/2026

𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗙𝗗𝗘𝗖 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗔𝗜 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗫𝗜𝗩 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗢𝗕𝗣-𝗜𝗚𝗢 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗶

Two delegates from SEAFDEC, Ms. Sampan Panjarat (Secretary-General of the Training Department) and Mr. Kongpathai Saraphaivanich (Training and Research Supporting Division Head) participated in the High-Level Policy Guidance Workshop on Artificial Intelligence in Fisheries: Strengthening MCS, Traceability & Governance Readiness in the Bay of Bengal Region from 28 to 29 May 2026, followed immediately by the XIV Governing Council Meeting (GCM-XIV) of the Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation (BOBP-IGO) on 30 May 2026 in Mumbai, India. Both events were organized by BOBP-IGO.

The High-Level AI Workshop was convened under BOBLME-II project. Across the two-day technical workshop, international experts, technology providers, and national delegates explored operational AI tools built to perform under real artisanal fishing conditions. During the workshop, Ms. Sampan Panjarat delivered a presentation titled "What a Regional Technical Organization Can Do: Cooperation, Capacity Building, Traceability and MCS Tools in Southeast Asian Fisheries." She highlighted SEAFDEC’s technical milestones in establishing interoperable data frameworks, standardizing vessel records, and building multi-agency operational networks across Southeast Asia, offering valuable peer-learning insights for the Bay of Bengal region. Following the general workshop, the delegation participated in the BOBLME Project Partners Meet. This regional roundtable brought together key representatives from FAO, BOBP-IGO, IUCN, SEAFDEC, and UNODC to coordinate a Large Marine Ecosystem (LME)-wide MCS operational backbone. Crucially, the partners deliberated on establishing a structured dialogue to systematically delink maritime fisheries crime from routine small-scale fishing activities.

Following the workshop, regular Governing Council Members convened alongside observers to review the compiled outputs. The Governing Council officially adopted the Workshop Outcome Statement and endorsed a phased "pilot-and-learn" pathway for the 2026–27 work programme, which focuses on testing deployable AI tools across selected ports before broader rollouts. Council members noted that while AI offers powerful methods to minimize transaction costs, it must serve as an enabling layer that respects domestic legal frameworks, data sovereignty, and human judgment. Moreover, the Council approved BOBP-IGO’s role as the regional hub for coordinating AI-enabled fisheries governance within the BOBLME-II project framework.

This successful convergence of SEAFDEC, BOBP-IGO, and global technical partners underscores a strengthening partnership between Southeast Asia and South Asia. By consolidating scientific tools and coordinating enforcement protocols, both organizations continue to build meaningful public goods for sustainable ocean governance across adjacent large marine ecosystems.

28/05/2026

𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀

The Training Department of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC/TD), in collaboration with the Department of Fisheries (DOF), Thailand, organized the “Training Workshop on Economic Valuation Assessment of Marine Fisheries Resources” during 28–29 May 2026 at the SEAFDEC Secretariat in Bangkok, Thailand.

The workshop brought together resource persons from Kasetsart University, DOF officers, and SEAFDEC staff to strengthen technical capacity on economic valuation concepts, valuation methodologies, and data requirements for marine fisheries resources. Rayong Bay, Thailand, is a case study for participants to discuss which focusing on the valuation of fisheries resources and environmental damage assessment related to marine pollution incidents.

The workshop also supported the development of a valuation framework to strengthen fisheries management and evidence-based policy development for sustainable marine resource conservation.