BANGKOK, THAILAND — The United States Agency for International Development Regional Development Mission for Asia (USAID/RDMA) launched the two-year, $1.9 million Sustainable Fish Asia (SUFIA) project to improve the management of marine biodiversity and fisheries resources in the Southeast Asia and Pacific regions. 

To address the challenges of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices in the project’s regions, SUFIA aims to enhance the capabilities of the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs Fisheries (CTI-CFF) and the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC); and identify private sector  investment in and adoption of sustainable fishing and fair labor practices in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. 

The project is implemented by Research Triangle Institute (RTI) International in concert with SEAFDEC based in Bangkok, Thailand, and CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat based in Manado, Indonesia.

USAID’s support will help SEAFDEC and CTI-CFF meet international financial and compliance standards to enable growth and expansion of their technical and sustainable financial resource base. As a result, SEAFDEC and CTI-CFF will be equipped to serve their constituents, including fisheries national agencies, private companies, and civil society organizations working in the fisheries sector. 

“We appreciate the support that USAID and the SUFIA project provides to enhance SEAFDEC’s ability to achieve our long-term goals towards collective regional development and management of sustainable fisheries,” said Malinee Smithrithee, Secretary General of SEAFDEC.

“The SUFIA project aligns well with our new Regional Plan of Action 2.0, which is focused on enhancing marine biodiversity conservation, food security, and sustainable livelihoods in the Coral Triangle region. As such, I welcome the cooperation and assistance from USAID in this project, and I am grateful to work together with SEAFDEC and USAID,” said Dr. Mohd Kushairi Mohd Rajuddin, CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat Executive Director. 

SUFIA’s private sector research and engagement efforts aim to bring more private resources to the work of our partners and increase industry investment to sustainable fishing in Southeast Asia and the Pacific region.