Developing Technologies for Sustainable Fisheries in Asia

Governments in Asia must prioritise technologies that improve fishery productivity to meet the growing local and international demand for fish. This increased productivity must be sustainable, however, and benefits need to be shared amongst people living in poverty who depend on fisheries. As populations increase and people’s incomes rise, the demand for fish also increases. If this rising demand cannot be met, it is poor people who will suffer from fish shortages. It is estimated that the per capita consumption of fish may fall over the next fifteen years in Bangladesh, the Philippines and other countries. Fish is a major source of nutrition for poor people in Asia and lower fish consumption threatens their food security. Increasing production will require new technologies for fisheries and aquaculture. WorldFish convened a workshop to discuss, synthesize and communicate recent research about the criteria for prioritising pro-poor fishing technologies.