In the Southeast Asian region, the rapid population increase and economic growth have accelerated the pace of exploitation of the fisheries resources. It is therefore urgently required for the region to re-evaluate the current fisheries practices and exploitation patterns, to formulate appropriate policies and strategies to reconcile the current practices, and to promote the development of sustainable fisheries.

Under these circumstances, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC), in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation (FAO) and hosted by the Department of Fisheries of Thailand, will jointly organize a Conference on Sustainable Fisheries for Food Security in the New Millennium: "Fish for the People" from 19 to 24 November 2001 in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Conference will cover various aspects of fisheries e.g. fisheries management, aquaculture, post-harvest technology, issues on fish trade, etc. The Conference will start with a plenary presentation and discussion on the ‘Outlook of Fish Supply and Demand’ succeeded by technical panels running simultaneously in which various important international/regional fisheries issues will be discussed. It is expected that technical panels come up with the "Conference Resolution and Plan of Actions" to be considered and adopted by the ASEAN fishery-related Ministers during the Ministerial Session held on the last day of the Conference. These pronouncements are anticipated to become frameworks for national policies and be structured into fisheries practices by the countries in the region. They will also be used as guidelines for the formulation of a five-year follow-up program (2001-2005) to be implemented in various parts of the ASEAN region.

As part of the Conference, the Millennium Fisheries Exhibition will be concurrently organized from 21 to 24 November. The Exhibition will provide seafood traders and suppliers of goods, services and ships to the fishing and aquaculture industries with a unique opportunity to make valuable contacts and sales with various parties.

Detailed information on the Conference can be obtained from the Announcement in the SEAFDEC home page: www.seafdec.org. For other inquiries, please contact [email protected].

NOTE: Please be noted that though the Technical Panels of the Conference are open to the public, we will not be able to allocate time for individual participants to make their presentations at the Conference. We can not financially support individual participants either.