On December 12, 2024, the Inland Fishery Resources Development and Management Department (IFRDMD) organized the 2024 Annual Progress Meeting of the Program under the ASEAN SEAFDEC Consultative Group Mechanism, funded by the Government of Japan Trust Fund (JTF). The event was held at the SEAFDEC/IFRDMD headquarters in Palembang, Indonesia.
The meeting commenced with a Report from the Organizing Committee delivered by Mr. Andi Soesmono, Chief of SEAFDEC/IFRDMD. This was followed by Remarks from Dr. Tomoko Nakazato, the Deputy Secretary-General of SEAFDEC. The event was officially opened by Dr. I Nyoman Radiarta, the SEAFDEC Alternate Council Director for Indonesia and the Head of the Agency for Extension and Human Resource Development of Marine and Fisheries (BPPSDM KP) within the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF). Dr. Nyoman, accompanied by Dr. Rudi Alek Wahyudin, Secretary of BPPSDM KP, delivered his speech virtually from the Mina Bahari 3 Building in Jakarta.
In his remarks, Dr. Nyoman thanked the Japan Trust Fund (JTF) for its decade-long support in advancing IFRDMD’s inland fisheries initiatives. He urged IFRDMD to diversify its funding sources actively by fostering collaboration with various partners. This effort, he noted, would attract greater attention to the importance of inland fisheries as a sustainable livelihood source for Southeast Asia’s communities. Dr. Nyoman emphasized the need for the meeting to effectively plan future programs that support inland fisheries’ development and sustainability.
The meeting highlighted two key projects funded by JTF VI Phase 2: (1) Sustainable Utilization of Anguillid Eels in the Southeast Asia Region and (2) Management Scheme of Inland Fisheries in the Southeast Asian Region. Both projects are five-year initiatives that began in 2020 and conclude in 2024. To evaluate and provide input to enrich these activities, IFRDMD invited three esteemed evaluators, Dr. Mina Hori from Kochi University, Prof. Dr. Luky Adrianto from IPB University, and Dr. Toni Ruchimat from Rekam Nusantara Foundation. The contributions of these experts are invaluable for the development and research of small-scale fisheries in the region.
Looking ahead, IFRDMD prepare the work plan for the next phase budgeted by JTF 7, which will cover activities from 2025 to 2029. This proposal aims to align with the ongoing programs of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) and ensure sustainable support. IFRDMD will collaborate closely with SEAFDEC’s Training Department to execute these future initiatives, reinforcing its role within the SEAFDEC family.