To achieve sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, it is vital to promote mutual cooperation by utilizing the knowledge of each country as well as FAO and other related international organizations.

Recognizing that FAO is currently developing the Voluntary Code of Conduct on the Sustainable Use of Plastics in Agriculture (VCoC) which also covers forestry and fisheries sectors, Japan considers the VCoC should be an international reference to guide each country in developing adequate management measures of plastic. Considering that plastic pollution relates to all the sectors of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, Japan strongly encourages Members to engage and collaboratively participate in the development of the VCoC, not only from agricultural point of views, but also from fisheries’. At the FAO Sub-Committee on Fisheries Management (SCFM) under COFI, held from January 15^th to 18^th, Japan presented our recommendation on the issues of marine plastic pollution.

In this regard, Japan reiterates the important role that the FAO to the ongoing negotiations on the plastic pollution as well as the other international environmental discussions convened by the UN system, including climate change and biodiversity, by providing technical inputs within its mandate as an UN specialized agency.

FAO welcomes Japan’s comments and takes note of the recommendation to engage the ongoing negotiations on the plastic pollution as well as the other international environmental discussions convened by the UN system, including climate change and biodiversity, by providing technical inputs within its mandate as an UN specialized agency.

Australia supports the Pillars of Blue Transformation presented in the paper, and welcome FAO’s commitment towards Blue Transformation for Asia and the Pacific region, particularly in the face of climate change and ongoing food security challenges.

We welcome FAO making clear distinctions between capture fisheries and aquaculture. This is important to ensure that the two sectors are not conflated, and that technical assistance provided by FAO is targeted to the specific sector and circumstances.

We encourage FAO to work with FAO Members to identify the types of support that are required in capture fisheries and aquaculture, particularly from a policy and programme perspective, to enable FAO to deliver effective capacity building and advisory support.

Australia emphasises the need for improved data collection and analysis to support sustainable fisheries management, particularly in the Pacific region. We recommend FAO continue efforts to support accurate and timely data collection and analysis towards improving stock assessments in the region. We underscore that lack of data, particularly on small-scale fisheries, has flow-on impacts to how management frameworks are applied and ultimately on the design, implementation and success of blue transformation initiatives.

With respect to the resources needed to support Blue Transformation, we recommend FAO continue to support resource mobilisation efforts to scale up climate solutions in the region through providing technical assistance and capacity building to support Members to access finance. In this regard Australia emphasises the need to avoid duplication. We encourage FAO to work in a coordinated manner with partners and funding sources, including the Green Climate Fund.

Finally, Australia wishes to emphasise the importance of Blue Transformation initiatives that not only benefit the capture fisheries and aquaculture sectors, but also bring benefits to other agrifood systems. For example, Australia envisages that the commercialisation aquaculture of Australian native red seaweed Asparagopsis will help reduce methane from livestock production on land agriculture and lower barriers to market entry.

FAO notes the comments from Australia and its support for Blue Transformation in Asia and the Pacific region, especially in climate change and ongoing food security challenges.

FAO acknowledges the need to provide technical assistance and support for fisheries and aquaculture tailored to the specific needs of each sub-sector, guided by policy and program perspectives. FAO reiterates that the Blue Transformation has a sub-sector focus with overarching elements that affect fisheries and aquaculture, reinforcing its identity and stressing synergies.

FAO observes the request to continue the ongoing work on data collection and analysis to guide sustainable fisheries management, particularly addressing the needs of small-scale fisheries and countries in the Pacific region. In this regard, FAO also notes the guidance received from Members of the Sub-Committee on Fisheries Management (COFI:FM) to continue mobilizing resources to build a long-term global capacity-building programme, including to support the reporting of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicator 14.4.1 at the national level. FAO also welcomed the request of Members during COFI:FM to support the development of capacities for data collection and analysis and fish stock assessment, complementing the work at a country level and of Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs).

FAO also notes the recommendation to support resource mobilization efforts to scale up climate solutions in the region, focused on enhancing Members access to finance, avoiding duplication and coordinating with partners and funding sources, including the GCF, promoting the role of the aquatic food system in overall sustainability and highlighting the derived benefits (e.g. livestock methane reduction through the use of red seaweed Asparagopsis). To this end, FAO reiterates the guidance received from Members during the last Session of COFI:FM to support further scientific research and resource surveys to enhance the capacity of developing States, especially Small Islands Development States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), to respond to climate change.

FAO has been working with Members, NACA and private sector to progress Blue Transformation for sustainable intensification of aquaculture in the region through the development of the Asia-Pacific Aquaculture Innovation and Investment Hub. The Hub is aimed to facilitate the transformation process, stimulate innovation and generate new investment prospects for impacts at scale in aquatic food systems.

New Zealand recognizes the importance of aquatic foods for global nutrition and livelihoods and the fact that they are one of the most traded food commodities. We support the need to strengthen public health policies to recognize the benefits of aquatic products including their relatively lower environmental footprint.

While maintaining and growing seafood’s ability to provide food and economic security, it is important to be mindful of ensuring sustainable utilization. The most important tool for doing so is effective fisheries management, to this end we support the three key global outcomes identified in the Blue Transformation Roadmap. Noting also, the appropriate emphasis in this paper on the need to ensure all harvesting is sustainably managed by 2030 under SDG 14.4, and the continued reporting under indicator 14.4.1 to measure global progress against this goal.

Climate change is and will continue to impact marine environments, and the homes and communities of fishers. While actions can be taken in the seafood sector to minimize emissions, the most important element for the sector is adaptation, understanding and preparing for the impacts of climate change to ensure that sustainable production of seafood products remains viable. There are opportunities for climate mitigation and adaptation along the value chain, and technical and capacity support will play a key role in ensuring these opportunities can be identified and exploited.

Broader threats to the seafood and aquatic products sector come from a range of sources such as IUU fishing, plastic pollution and habitat degradation. Support for FAO Members to meet their existing and novel biodiversity and conservation obligations, along with continued efforts to expand and improve fisheries management will help increase resilience for aquatic ecosystems to tolerate the cumulative impacts of these threats. Doing so will require use of the best available science, including traditional and indigenous knowledge. The work to date by the FAO to support improvements to stock assessment and management practices should continue, this allows Members to ensure they are taking all possible steps to effectively manage these vital resources.

We are strongly supportive of the continued work by the FAO to develop a database of trade agreements relating to fisheries. We would encourage that the scope of this work is expanded beyond just considerations of tariffs or quotas, to include all fisheries & aquaculture related provisions. For example including agreements with provisions relating to fisheries management or sustainability, such as the recent EU-NZ FTA or the CPTPP. This provides a fuller picture of the interplay between management of the seafood sector and international trade and we strongly support this as a recommendation of this meeting.

FAO welcomes the comments from New Zealand about recognizing the benefits of aquatic products and their lower environmental footprint, highlighting the importance of effective fisheries management for sustainable utilization of aquatic foods, addressing climate change issues by focusing on adaptation and mitigation along the value chain, as well as addressing IUU fishing, plastic pollution and habitat degradation. In this regard, FAO recalls that Members, at the First Session of the Sub-Committee on Fisheries Management (COFI:FM) highlighted the importance of understanding the linkages between climate change and biodiversity conservation about fisheries resources and called for a holistic approach to address these challenges, for which FAO will act accordingly.

The Philippines thanks FAO for document APRC/24/7 Rev. 1 which summarizes FAO’s Blue Transformation Vision and provides an overview of how this applies to the context of the

Asia and Pacific Region. The document also identifies some capacity-building and technical assistance areas that may be prioritized for the region.

In the matrix below, the Philippines has outlined our country’s priorities to transform our capture fisheries and aquaculture towards sustainability, which we would like the FAO to

support us in. The focal point for collaboration with FAO is the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of the Department of Agriculture.

Furthermore, we wish to note that the Philippines’ Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD) has proactively undertaken a project aimed at developing a tuna traceability system within the Davao Region which could be examined for potential replication in consultation with BFAR and other key stakeholders.

FAO welcomes the Philippines contribution and the clear indication of the country’s priorities to transform capture fisheries and aquaculture.

FAO notes these priorities and looks forward to working on these areas with BFAR and other institutions.

Over the past years, FAO has actively engaged in small-scale fisheries in the Philippines, leading the country to become the first in the region to initiate a National Plan of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries. Furthermore, it is important to observe that the FAO Country Office also supported actions on spatial planning, mariculture parks, Public-Private Partnerships, investment in aquaculture, safety at sea, anticipatory action and recovery from typhoon, sustainable intensification of aquaculture, seaweed value chain, among other thematic areas.

• Thailand supports the sustainable aquaculture and fish and fishery processed

• production in light of “Safety, Security & Sustainability for Resilience Agriculture”  which aims to produce safe food and agri-products, in response to the growing challenges posed by changing consumer behavior, depletion of natural resources, and stronger trade barriers. Strengthening the efficiency of fishery production and leveraging standards for fish fishery products to enhance agricultural competitiveness with technologies and innovation while taking into account sustainable management of agriculture and environment with good governance represents the key strategy for improving the implementation of aquaculture and capture fishery sectors.
• Also, Thailand prioritizes food safety from farm to table, comprising aquaculture, processing, purchasing, and consumption, in order to control and standardize the quality of fish and fisheries products. Thailand makes sure that every stage of the process considers food safety and standards to increase customer confidence and acceptance. This expands the trend of consuming safe fish and  supports international trade to mobilize the sustainability of capture fisheries and fish production from the aquaculture sector.
• Recommendation
• Continue support to enhance knowledge on the GSA (Guideline for sustainable aquaculture)  and strengthen its members’ capacity. 

FAO acknowledge Thailand’s support in further development of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, highlighting actions for improving efficiency in aquatic food production, trade and consumption. FAO will continue working with the Department of Fisheries to keep momentum to progress the fisheries and aquaculture transformation and ensure the sector's  business competitiveness, resilience and sustainability.