The 2nd IORA Seminar on IUU Fishing held at the Naval War College (NWC IN) in Goa, brought together experts and officials to address the pressing issue of Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing in the Indian Ocean. The seminar focused on enhancing regional cooperation, operational strategies, and capacity building to combat IUU fishing.

 

The International Seminar began with Cmde Prashant Chandrasekharan, Deputy Commandant, NWC IN, welcoming the participants and setting the context. RAdm Arjun Dev Nair, VSM, delivered the opening remark. The Chief Guest, Ms. Paramita Tripathi, Joint Secretary (Indo-Pacific Division), Government of India, delivered the keynote address, highlighting the regional and global implications of IUU fishing.

 

Mr. Rajdeep Mukherjee, IUU Consultant for the BOBLME Project and representing BOBP-IGO, participated in the seminar. He discussed why some states may be lenient towards IUU fishing and proposed solutions to foster cooperation. Mukherjee highlighted examples from the ongoing BOBLME project, funded by GEF and NORAD, which takes a holistic approach to tackling IUU fishing. He also shared insights into initiatives by BOBP-IGO, such as BOBPRG, BOBSAN, and BIMReN, aimed at promoting regional cooperation, which was well-appreciated by the participants.