Philippine and Malaysian Fishermen Cooperate in Managing Live Reef Fish Trade

 In support of the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF) goal to reduce destructive fishing practices, fishermen and commercial fish traders from Sabah, Malaysia, and Palawan, Philippines, attended a roundtable discussion on April 6–13, 2012, in Puerto Princesa. The meeting aimed to strengthen collaboration on live reef fish trade (LRFT) management and enhance transboundary cooperation to reduce destructive fishing activities.

The live reef fish trade involves the capture of reef fish that are kept alive for sale and consumption. This practice often employs destructive fishing methods that can lead to devastating consequences, including fish stock collapse and coral reef destruction.

By the end of the roundtable, participants agreed to adopt a common standard for the live reef fish trade and to propose legislation to their respective local governments to regulate and ensure the sustainability of the practice.

The roundtable was organized by USAID’s Coral Triangle Support Partnership (CTSP) in collaboration with WWF, the Department of Fisheries Sabah, Sabah Parks, and the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development. CTSP will continue to work with the fishermen and traders to help realize their action plans.

Caption: Malaysian and Philippine fishermen learn about sustainable LRFT practices.
Credit: Jun Lao/CTSP