SEAFDEC/AQD Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center | Aquaculture Department
By Development Communication Section
Information officers and technical officers of the SEAFDEC Secretariat and the Departments including SEAFDEC/AQD were in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 26-28 October for the Sixteenth SEAFDEC Information Staff Program (ISP) meeting. ISP is a yearly gathering conducted to review the information-related activities of SEAFDEC Departments.
The meeting noted the progress in the implementation of the information strategies this 2015. Acting Secretary-General of SEAFDEC, Mr. Hajime Kawamura and SEAFDEC/MFRDMD Chief Mr. Ahmad Adnan Bin Nuruddin (who hosted the meeting) joined the 19 technical and information officers in discussing the five-point information strategy; (1) production of relevant, timely and useful information materials to meet the requirements of target audience ; (2) raising SEAFDEC image at international, regional and national levels; (3) enhancing communication and information sharing both within SEAFDEC and with member and non-member countries, international/regional organizations and the public; (4) strengthening SEAFDEC capability in information-related activities; and (5) regular monitoring and evaluation of information activities. These strategies aimed at promoting SEAFDEC activities and increasing the center’s visibility among its stakeholders.
It was also discussed in the meeting the working schedule and contact persons of each department for the preparation of the regular information materials that SEAFDEC will produce for 2016 that include SEAFDEC Annual Report 2015, Annual Information Compilation CD-ROM 2015, SEAFDEC Newsletter, Special Publication “Fish for the People”, and the SEAFDEC Calendar 2017. Likewise, the meeting served as a venue to discuss the detailed outline of the publication of the Southeast Asian State of Fisheries and Aquaculture or SEASOFIA which will be published in 2017. At the last day of the meeting the participants visited the National Library of Malaysia.
Mr. Nuruddin commended the Departments on their initiatives on SEASOFIA as it is very important document that provides the status of the fishery resources, as well as addressing fisheries issues and challenges in the region. He also expressed his appreciation to the participants for their productive inputs that pave the way for improving the information-related activities of SEAFDEC. Moreover, Mr. Hajime Kawamura encouraged the information staff to work closely with technical staff to package and enhance wider dissemination of good results from SEAFDEC activities to target users and the public. “SEAFDEC should consider improving its activities to generate high-impact outputs in order to attract media to publicize SEAFDEC activities,” he added.
