The need to apply an ecosystem approach to fisheries management is now globally accepted and has been endorsed in a range of international decision-making fora. This approach represents a move away from fisheries management systems that focus only on the sustainable harvest of target species towards systems and decision-making processes that balance environmental well-being with human and social well-being within improved governance frameworks.

The FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF) provides a global framework for responsible fisheries, but member countries, fisheries organizations and fisheries stakeholders require a practical framework to implement the recommendations of the CCRF. The ecosystem approach to management of fisheries (EAF) and aquaculture (EAA) presents such a practical framework whereby the objectives of responsible and sustainable fisheries and aquaculture can be implemented at national and local levels. Although there is an increasing will to move towards more holistic fisheries and aquaculture management and planning frameworks, the practical approach and application of ecosystem based planning and management remains challenged by a lack of familiarity with EAF and EAA and the need for considerable policy reform.

The 2nd Regional Consultative Forum Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission (APFIC) and the 30th Session of APFIC convened in Manado in 2008, recommended that APFIC promote understanding of how to implement ecosystem approaches to aquaculture and fisheries management. They noted too that this would effectively contribute to the implementation of the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. The session emphasized the need for guidance on how to apply this management approach to the small-scale production sector, the development of offshore fisheries and in the data-poor situations that prevail in the APFIC region.

This report is the proceedings of the APFIC/FAO/Government of Sri Lanka regional consultative workshop convened in response to this recommendation. The workshop brought together 75 participants from member countries across the Asia and Pacific region together with representatives of regional fisheries, aquaculture and environmental intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, alongside projects and other arrangements. The workshop enabled participants to familiarize themselves with ecosystem approaches to management and explore how these planning and management frameworks can be applied to the complex issues facing fisheries and aquaculture systems that are typical of South Asia, Southeast Asia and East Asia. The workshop also developed recommendations for action directed at APFIC member countries and the regional partners of APFIC for individual or collective action.

The workshop represented a unique opportunity to build awareness and understanding of the potential opportunities that are offered by an ecosystem approach to management and hopefully will lead to the development of ecologically sound action plans for fisheries and aquaculture in the region. I am sure that the outcome of this workshop sees the beginning of wider adoption and implementation of ecosystem based management in the APFIC region, and encourages all to pursue the recommendations contained herein. 

APFIC. 2009. APFIC/FAO Regional consultative workshop “Practical implementation of the ecosystem approach to fisheries and aquaculture”, 18–22 May 2009, Colombo, Sri Lanka. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok, Thailand. RAP Publication 2009/10, 96 pp.