BOBP Celebrated World Tuna Day 

 

BOBP-IGO organized a Panel Discussion on "Tuna Fisheries in BOB Region: Emerging Challenges Under Changing Climate and BBNJ Regime" in collaboration with BFRI, FSI, ICAR-CMFRI, IPNLF and NARA to the occasion of World Tuna Day (02 May 2023). 

 

About 120 participants representing IGOs, RFBs, RSOs, industry, NGOs and researchers, academia, and officials from about 15 countries attended. 

 

Opening the event, Dr P. Krishnan, Director, BOBP-IGO, highlighted the importance of tuna fisheries, especially for the Bay of Bengal rim countries and provided an overview of the panel discussion. Dr. E. Vivekanandan presented the impact of changing climate on the distribution, abundance, migration and physiology of the Tunas. Dr. Maeve Nightingale, IUCN provided an overview of the evolution, objectives and key provisions of the BBNJ and Dr. Saravanane, MoES, GoI and Dr. Hussain Sinan, Director (Fisheries), Maldives highlighted the implications of the treaty on the fisheries, in general and tuna in particular. 

 

The Panel called for enhanced cooperation, meeting the developing countries needs to address climate change and exploring the opportunities provided by the BBNJ agreement. 

 

Event Details Available at :
https://www.bobpigo.org/pages/view/bobp-celebrates-world-tuna-day

Regional Partnership in using Ocean Information Services

 

Dr. Krishnan, Director, BOBP-IGO participated as a panelist in the "Ocean Prediction: Regional Team Meeting of Indian Seas" organized by INCOIS on 03 May 2023.

 

Dr. Krishnan informed that there is a strong appetite for ocean information services among the rim countries of the Bay of Bengal. There are also possibilities for networking amongst the researchers from these countries to develop advisory solutions for the fishers and the community.

 

"BOBP-IGO can be a Secretariat for such regional thematic networks and we look forward to transform the possibilities into actualities", he said.

 

Indian National Center for Ocean Information Services

Director of BOBP-IGO urges Scientists to Focus on Future Solutions for Marine Litter at National Seminar

 

At the National Seminar on "Marine Litter – Best Management Practices" organized by the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) on April 27, 2023, Dr. Krishnan, Director of BOBP-IGO, highlighted the vital role of scientists in finding innovative solutions to combat marine litter. He stressed that the success of international agreements and national policies to address this issue depends on the technological options made available to the public by scientists.

 

Dr. Krishnan urged scientists to prioritize research that anticipates the challenges of the next decade, ensuring that the outcomes of their work, such as technology and products, remain relevant to the time.

 

During the seminar, Dr. Krishnan also released NCSCM's new publications on "Marine Litter – Best Management Practices," commemorating the 100th episode of "Mann Ki Baat" by the Prime Minister of India. The event served as a reminder of the pressing need for scientists and policymakers to collaborate and prioritize sustainable solutions to tackle the issue of marine litter. (https://ncscm.res.in/publications/¬).

Interactive Dialogue on Ocean Accounting Gets Underway

 

Australia-India Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative Partnership (AIIPOIP) and the Madras School of Economics (MSE) organized a virtual webinar on “Interactive dialogue on Ocean Accounting: Synthesizing Lessons and Understanding Challenges” on 16th May 2023. This interactive dialogue is part of the AIIPOIP project, “Building an Australia-India Community of Practice on Ocean Accounting” to advance the goals of India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI).

 

Speaking on the Panel, Dr. Krishnan highlighted the need for integrating Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) and Ocean Accounting (OA) in the policy framework and delineating their linkage with ongoing national initiatives in various sectors including fisheries. He also emphasised the need for capacity development of the BOB rim countries so as to aid in integration of MSP and OA in the blue economy framework; developing regional frameworks for data collection and process for scalability; harmonization of institutional mechanism to undertake both MSP and OA, in national waters and in the high seas. 

 

Some of the key takeaways from the event were addressing data limitation and data standardization; upscaling pilot projects; developing cost-effective assessment methods for ocean accounting using remote sensing; capacity building and sensitization at all levels; knowledge sharing and leap frogging through learning from national accounting practices. The initiative also welcomed the suggestion by Dr. Krishnan to hold multi-parti dialogue on ocean accounting.

BOBLME 2.0 Inter-Agency Meeting Concluded at Bangkok

 

BOBP-IGO participated in the Inter-Agency Meeting convened by IUCN Asia Pacific Office at Bangkok during 18-19 May 2023 to review the planning and preparations for the implementation of BOBLME 2.0 Project. Senior Officers and Scientists from SEAFDEC and FAO-RAP also participated in the deliberations.

 

Dr. Krishnan, Director, BOBP-IGO presented the approach envisioned by the IGO and the steps already initiated for the effective implementation of the project.

 

On the sidelines, Dr. Krishnan discussed with the Country Representatives of IUCN from India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to explore areas and means of collaboration for the effective implementation of the BOBLME Phase II project in South Asia, for which BOBP IGO is the lead executing agency.

BOBP-IGO Participates in UNFSA Review Conference at UN Headquarters

 

The five-days long Review Conference on the Agreement for the Implementation of the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks i.e., UN Fish Stock Agreement (UNFSA) resumed on 22 May 2023 at the UN Secretariat, New York.

 

The Review Conference, fourth in the series, after the adoption of the Agreement in 2001, aims to review the status of its implementation, gaps if any, and discuss the strategies for strengthening the substance and methods of implementation of the agreement.

 

Dr. P. Krishnan, Director, BOBP-IGO participates in the proceedings, on the invitation from the UN Secretariat and FAO.

 

Dr. Krishnan also attends as a panelist in the FAO's side event on "Regional Framework among RFBs: Scaling up Cooperation and Coordination towards Sustainable Fisheries" on 23 May 2023 and present the Outcome from Western Indian Ocean Regional Consultation.

 

The session will be available @ https://media.un.org/en/webtv

BOBP-IGO Participates in the 3rd Bay of Bengal Maritime Dialogue

 

The 3rd Bay of Bengal Maritime Dialogue was organized by HD and Pathfinder Foundation in Colombo, Sri Lanka from 23-24 May 2023. About 50 participants from Australia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar and Sri Lanka took part.

 

Participating in the event on behalf of BOBP-IGO, Dr. E Vivekanandan, Advisor, BOBP-IGO made a presentation on “Regional Synergies to Mitigate Marine Environmental Degradation in Bay of Bengal”. He highlighted the numerous challenges faced by the Bay of Bengal related to marine environmental degradation, including pollution, climate change, and the need for marine nature conservation.

 

The HD-BOBP Regional dialogue held earlier in Kochi, India this year advocated that the potential areas of cooperation among Bay of Bengal rim countries include the establishment of a regional Observation & MCS capability, application of remote sensing for mapping fishing grounds and marine pollution, and the creation of a regional database on coastal ecosystems and climate change.

 

By fostering collaboration among scientists, institutions, and governments, and by addressing the identified challenges, it is possible to safeguard the marine ecosystems of the Bay of Bengal for future generations, said Dr. Vivekanandan.

 

The Dialogue recognized the importance of regional cooperation for addressing transboundary issues and appreciated the efforts of BOBP-IGO in promoting regional collaboration.

Train the Trainer Programme on Safety at Sea for Small Scale Fishers Underway in Negombo, Sri Lanka

 

A comprehensive training program on Safety at Sea for small scale fishers is currently taking place in Negombo, Sri Lanka from 22nd to 26th May 2023.

 

The program, organized by the Fish Safety Foundation, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and BOBP-IGO, seeks to develop a community of practitioners by training prospective trainers.

 

The event is attended by 25 participants, including officers from the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and faculty members from Ocean University. The program covers various aspects such as emergency preparation, safety risk management, boat basics, emergency first aid, communication, and the rules of the road. BOBP-IGO is represented by Mr. R Mukherjee and Dr. M Sri Hari at the event.

 

This program is a crucial step in improving safety and protecting the livelihoods of small-scale fishers in the region.

Collaboration Among RFBs Key for Sustainable Fisheries Management in Indian Ocean: BOBP

 

FAO organized a side event on " *Regional Framework among RFBs: Scaling up Cooperation and Coordination towards Sustainable Fisheries"* on 23 May 2023 in the side lines of UNFSA Review Conference at UN Headquarters, New York.

 

Participating in the event as a panellist, Dr. Krishnan presented the Outcome of the Regional Consultation held at Maputo, Mozambique during June, 2022 for the Regional Fisheries Bodies in Indian Oceans.

 

He highlighted the strategies to overcome the challenges in forging collaboration and illustrated the initiatives taken by BOBP.

BOBP'S Stock Assessment Training Program for Sri Lanka Inaugurated 

 

BOBP-IGO, in collaboration with ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CMFRI) and National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA), Sri Lanka, is organizing a Management Development Program on New Paradigms in Fish Stock Assessment (MDP-SA) in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 25 May to 01 June 2023. 23 Fisheries officials and researchers are attending.

 

Inaugurating the event, Mr. Dhammika Ranatunga, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources Development, Government of Sri Lanka (MFARD), said that fish stock assessment is essential for sustainable resource management. He thanked BOBP-IGO for organizing the program. Prof. M.J.S. Wijeyaratne, Chairperson, NARA, Mr. Namal Talangama, Mrs.Anusha Gokula Fernando Additional Secretary, MFARD, and Dr. Kamal Tenakoon, Director General, NARA, also attended the inauguration.

 

On behalf of the organizers, Dr. E. Vivekanandan, Advisor, BOBP-IGO, and Lead Trainer, underscored the significance of stock assessment and delineated the scope of the MDP-SA.

 

The MDP on Fish Stock Assessment is expected to be a great learning opportunity for all the attendees and will contribute to the sustainable management of aquatic resources in Sri Lanka.

Need for Setting Up of a Regional Platform for Sea Safety Practitioners Highlighted

 

The fisheries officials and faculty of Ocean University underwent a comprehensive five-day training trainer course aimed at improving their safety practices and emergency preparedness while at sea. The training program covered various critical topics on safety at sea, emergency preparation, risk management, boat basics, emergency first aid, communications, and marine traffic rules.

 

Speaking to the participants, Mr. R Mukherjee, Policy Analyst, BOBP-IGO, explained the dynamic nature of fisheries risks in the Bay of Bengal region and called for setting up a regional platform for safety experts from the Bay to share their knowledge and expertise. He said that BOBP-IGO and FAO are developing an action plan, "BOBSAFE," aiming at policy intervention and capacity building to address fishers' challenges. The participants welcomed the proposal and expressed the need for continuous learning and upskilling of the trainers to guide the community better. The lack of information on accident data and the need to build a robust system were also highlighted.

 

Earlier, Mr. Darren Mitchel from Fish Safety Foundation highlighted the risks fishers face and noted that about 100 000 fishers die yearly in fisheries, many of which are preventable with proper intervention. He said that FishSafety Foundation is a non-profit organization that aims to improve fisheries safety.

 

In attendance at the closing ceremony, the Director of Ocean University, responsible for training fishers, acknowledged the successful completion of the training program as a significant step forward in enhancing the safety and security of small-scale fishers in Sri Lanka.

 

The program was commissioned by FAO and delivered by the FishSafety Foundation with support from BOBP-IGO during 22-26 May 2023 in Negombo, Sri Lanka.