Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Joins Regional Partners in Launching GoTFish Project 

Five-year initiative will strengthen fisheries governance in the Gulf of Thailand

Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) is collaborating with the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) and the University of Queensland to launch a regional effort to secure the long-term health of the Gulf of Thailand’s fisheries. Implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the GoTFish Project will coordinate efforts in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Viet Nam to address the growing threats facing the Gulf, one of the world’s most productive marine ecosystems.

This five-year initiative, “Promoting the Blue Economy and Strengthening Fisheries Governance of the Gulf of Thailand through the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries,” will strengthen natural resource governance across the Gulf to protect marine biodiversity, rebuild fish stocks, and contribute directly to the objectives of the South China Sea Strategic Action Programme (SCS-SAP).

The project has four central components:

1. Strengthening regional transboundary fisheries governance and institutional capacity
2. Aligning market and behavioral incentives to support sustainable fisheries
3. Conserving critical aquatic habitats through the identification of ecological corridors
4. Enhancing stakeholder engagement, communication and monitoring to ensure inclusive participation and effective knowledge sharing.

As the Executing Agency for Component 2, SFP is leading efforts to leverage market influence and align buyers, suppliers and producers toward responsible resource management. This work will concentrate on two key value chains: the multi-species trawl fishery that feeds marine ingredient production and the small pelagic fishery that supplies the fish sauce sector. Efforts will include tailoring improvement frameworks for complex tropical fisheries and developing a new Responsible Seafood Sourcing Scheme where no such standard currently exists.

“The Gulf of Thailand is reaching a critical crossroads. With GoTFish, SFP is mobilizing the private sector to turn global seafood demand into a force for recovery. This project shows that when markets support responsible practices, the improvements can be deep and long-lasting,” said Pedro Ferreiro, SFP Fisheries Governance and Livelihoods Director.