The 1st Joint Fisheries Committee Meeting between the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the Republic of the Philippines (PH) was held online last October 01, 2021. Undersecretary for Agro-Industrialization and for Fisheries Cheryl Marie Natividad-Caballero and ROK Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) Director General Dong-Sik Woo of the MOF's International Cooperation Bureau co-chaired the meeting. The Philippine delegation was composed of officials from the Department of Agriculture (DA) Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), National Fisheries and Research Development Institute (NFDRI) and the Philippine Embassy in Seoul.

The co-chairs shared the common understanding that the Philippines-Korea JFC meeting is mutually beneficial for both countries and will serve as a platform to explore and identify potential areas of cooperation between the two countries.

The meeting discussed fisheries and aquaculture policies and best practices. The Philippines, through BFAR, shared updates on the Philippine Fisheries Industry highlighting new developments, policies and the challenges encountered by the country's fisheries sector. The ROK side presented its 2nd Master Plan of Fisheries and Fishing Community Development for 2021-2025, advancements in fisheries and aquatic bioresources management, and shared experiences to mitigate contamination of shellfish growing areas.

New Official Development Assistance (ODA) and technical cooperation projects aimed at strengthening international cooperation and the development of a platform and framework for Korean and Filipino experts' engagement on various aspects of fisheries and the seafood trade industry.

The success of the 1st Joint Fisheries Committee Meeting highlights the importance of forging partnerships in the development of both countries' fisheries industries and connectivity to the global food chain. Both parties are looking forward to the next JFC meeting in 2022.

Through the effort of the Philippine Agriculture Office in Seoul, the very first Philippines-Korea Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Fisheries Cooperation was signed by DA Secretary William D. Dar and MOF Minister Seong-hyuk Moon in November 2019 on the occasion of the ROK-ASEAN Commemorative Summit held in Busan.

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