Education and Training for government officials from Myanmar
Since ancient times, the fisheries have played a crucial role in sustaining human life by providing animal protein. But the world’s fisheries are facing an unprecedented crisis caused by skyrocketing operating costs due to high oil prices, dramatic decreases in fishery resources, increasing maritime pollution and global warming due to industrialisation.
It is also facing a variety of changes in the environment, in the opening of markets because of the WTO and FTAs, and the paradigm shifts of fisheries as a new age of global warming and low carbon green growth is ushered in.
However, fisheries in the future will become growth engines, as many experts expect a brighter future for the industry. In order to realise this, the fishing industry must share its expertise and experiences among fisheries co-operatives worldwide. Accordingly, the ICFO invited Myanmarese government officials led by Khin Maung Aye, Deputy Minister, from the Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries from 24-29 August 2015.
They had the opportunity to visit various fisheries facilities, such as the fish processing center of the KNFC, Ministry of Ocean and Fisheries, Pukyong National University specialised in fisheries, National Fisheries Research and Development Institute, FRP shipyard, aquaculture farms, and a member cooperative of the KNFC to learn about the Korean fishing industry and the major business functions the KNFC has performed.
During their stay in Korea, the Myanmarese Delegation took a deep interest in the advanced Korean fisheries processing center and consignment market. Those are key to reforming the Myanmarese fishing industry and establishing a fisheries University which is designed to nurture experts in the field of fisheries and offer systematic education on fisheries.
It is expected that the visit to Korea will become a milestone for Myanmar in sparking development of its fishing industry and spread co-operative movement nationwide. It is also expected that the visit pave the way in transforming the current outdated system for sustainable fisheries and leads to the income growth of fishermen.
2015 ICFO Annual Meetings
2015 ICFO annual meetings (Executive Members Meeting and General Meeting)
were held on 10 November in Antalya, Turkey. A total of 29 persons from 11 countries were present at the meetings.
The Executive Members Meeting and General Meeting were combined as one meeting because the agendas of two meeting are identical.
The ICFO members unanimously approved of Mr. Kim Im-kweon succeeding to the chairmanship as Mr. Lee Jong-koo’s presidency expired last March.
3 new members; Economic & Social Development Center of Palestine, Maldives Fisherman Association, and The National Confederation of Cooperatives Bolivia were approved as a new ICFO member. Owing to 3 new members, the number of ICFO member has grown up from 22 organisations in 20 countries to 25 organisations in 23 countries.
Mr. Ramazan Ozkaya(Turkey), Saroj Kumar Sharma(Nepal), and Wibisono Wiyono(Indonesia) were elected as Vice chairman, Executive member, and Auditor respectively.
It was decided to hold World Fisheries Co-operatives Day every three years with the financial support of the ICFO as per the decision made by the ICFO General Assembly at Kobe in 2012. In the intervening years, each member cooperative holds the ceremony autonomously in a small way.
It is settled that 2016 ICFO Annual meetings will be held in Indonesia in 2016 where ICA Asia-Pacific General Assembly.
