Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) for Sustainable Aquaculture

Date

August 25-29, 2008

Venue

Korea

Co-sponsors

• National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI), Korea

Background / Highlights of Activity

In the last couple of decades, some important fisheries resources have reached a critical level in most Asian countries due to such factors as over-fishing, aggravated fishing environment and global climatic changes. This serious decrease in fisheries resources has shifted people’s attention to the development of the aquaculture industry. Consequently, aquaculture has become the most popular and fastest growing industry in the coastal zone. However, the massive and intense production of aquaculture has adversely influenced the coastal environment and brought about various social and economic problems, resulting in the aggravation of the coastal zone environment and ecology.

The concept of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) was introduced in 1992, to cope with the serious aggravation of the coastal zone environment, and to achieve sustainable aquaculture production in an environmentally friendly manner. Although the concept of ICZM was proposed in the 1990s, up to now, relevant and practical information and know-how for successful ICZM has been very limited. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the current status of ICZM and to develop and improve an appropriate ICZM for environmentally sound and sustainable aquaculture.

Objectives

1. To understand the current status of ICZM for sustainable aquaculture in participating countries and to improve the ICZM suitable for Asian countries;
2. To exchange information, knowledge and experiences on economical, institutional, and technological management of ICZM for the development of technological breakthroughs to alleviate the adverse impacts of aquaculture on coastal environments and socio-economic conflicts; and
3. To coordinate regional cooperation among Asian coastal societies by promoting environmentally-sound aquaculture based on sustainable ICZM.

Expected output(s)

1. A better understanding of the current status of aquaculture and coastal zone management in the Asian and Pacific region;
2. An appropriate management strategy for ICZM for representative Asian countries with various geographic and social conditions; and
3. Establishment of an appropriate information platform for timely and mutual exchange of relevant information in the ASPAC region.