Regional fisheries organizations have a key role to play in helping member governments address threats to marine life, and especially in combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. Their leadership is critical in coordinating with various stakeholders across the region for the shared goal of promoting sustainable management of fisheries and marine resources. But regional fisheries organizations need enhanced capacities (e.g., in administration and project management) to be stronger leaders in managing the various requirements from member countries, partners, and donors.
Starting in September 2021, the USAID Sustainable Fish Asia (SUFIA) Local Capacity Development (LCD) Activity began supporting two key regional fisheries organizations in the Indo-Pacific region: the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF) and the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC). The support focuses on capacity strengthening initiatives aimed at addressing identified gaps and priority capacity needs related to administration, finance, human resources, and data and knowledge management systems.
These capacity strengthening initiatives are an outcome of the participatory assessments conducted by SUFIA LCD in early 2021. Their implementation ensures that both regional fisheries organizations will meet the compliance systems and standards required from donors, including receiving direct grants from USAID in the future. It will also enhance their capacity and performance in working with their member states and partners, and as regional leaders in sustainable fisheries management and marine biodiversity conservation.
Dr. Worawit Wanchana, Policy and Program Coordinator of the SEAFDEC Secretariat, said the support led to workflow improvements in the organization, as well as enhancing capacity for staff. Computer hardware and software for finance and procurement applications and systems have been upgraded leading to accelerated working processes and operations of SEAFDEC programs and activities.
SUFIA LCD trainings have improved SEAFDEC program managers’ and administrators’ understanding of internationally accepted financial requirements; and helped them understand standard procedures for management of sub-contracts, the development of sub-partner agreements, and monitoring of performance, according to Dr. Wanchana.
Similarly, the CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat said that their involvement in SUFIA LCD activities, such as their participation in development trainings, has created a new learning space to enrich leadership capabilities and effectiveness of human resources, gender equality and social inclusion. Their staff also participated in a series of training events in relation to grant management with the purpose of equipping the organization to effectively manage future donor funds, including USAID-funded grants.
The capacity strengthening support also enabled both organizations to participate in training programs provided by the Asian Institute of Technology and Humentum. Both CTI-CFF and SEAFDEC are in the process of developing or updating relevant policies, procedures, and other documents to meet minimum USAID requirements as Public International Organizations, which will enable them to receive direct grants from USAID.
Learn more about SUFIA’s work and RTI’s marine conservation initiatives.
