Women in fisheries come together in Southeast Asia

Australian women in the fishing industry have returned from a successful workshop held this month in Bangkok, Thailand, with the support of the Albanese Government.

The successful Women in Fisheries workshop welcomed 70 participants from across the region to share their experiences in gender inclusivity and overcoming barriers for women’s participation in fisheries careers.

The three-day workshop held from 14-16 May provided an opportunity for women from our region to share their career experiences and learnings, and to establish a regional network of female fisheries officers.

Countries represented at the workshop included Australia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Timor Leste, Vietnam and Thailand.

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Murray Watt, said the workshop reflected Australia’s commitment to promoting gender inclusivity across its international outreach activities and represented a shared commitment to recognise the important role women play in sustainably managing the region’s fisheries.

“Placing gender equality at the centre of our international engagement creates opportunities for people to thrive, making our region stronger, more secure and more inclusive” Minister Watt said.

“Supporting greater gender inclusivity in fisheries supports sustainability, and the networks established by events like this one strengthen regional coordination, which we know is essential when combating shared cross-border issues like IUU fishing”.

The workshop was delivered by Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in partnership with the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center and funded by Australia’s Combating IUU Fishing and Promoting Sustainable Fisheries in Southeast Asia program.

For more information, visit: https://www.agriculture.gov.au/agriculture-land/fisheries/iuu/combating-iuu-fishing-program