Tackling Fisheries and Marine Challenges at the 2024 South China Sea Regional Technical Exchange on Fisheries Governance

The South China Sea is truly a cornerstone of marine biodiversity and economic sustenance. Its expanse is covering 3.5 million sq. kilometers in the Pacific Ocean and plays a vital role in supporting fisheries and marine ecosystems, providing significant socio-economic advantages such as livelihoods and food security. This region boasts diverse ecosystems, including mangrove forests and coral reefs. In fisheries itself, it is estimated to contribute over 12% to the global fish catch.

However, the fisheries and marine resources in the South China Sea (SCS) have been consistently declining, with catch rates reduced by 70-95% since the 1950s and 66-75% in the last two decades due to uncontrolled fishing pressures. This trend, coupled with the impacts of climate change, poses a risk of collapse without immediate intervention. Hence, a dialogue among stakeholders to initiate regional fisheries management for the SCS is essential.

Partaking to tackle these challenges, our Program Manager, Sarah Harding takes the stage at the 2024 South China Sea Regional Technical Exchange on Fisheries Governance hosted by the USAID and BFAR. She will showcase the impact of our end-to-end solutions through KoltiTrace MIS platform, on fostering sustainable fisheries and marine ecosystems in a session entitled Leveraging Advanced Technologies for Sustainable Fisheries Management in the Indo-Pacific Region. Moreover, in a session on the Regional Application of eCDT Technology for Maritime Security and MDA, she will highlight how our Artificial Intelligence (AI) assists fishers in navigating towards sustainable practices.