Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation

BIMREN PARTNERS MEET AT FIRST REGIONAL CONCLAVE @ MECOS4

BOBP-IGO organised the First Regional Partners Conclave of the BIMSTEC-India Marine Research Network (BIMReN) on the sidelines of the International Symposium on Marine Ecosystems Challenges and Opportunities (MECOS 4) in Kochi, India.

Inaugurating the conclave, Amb CSR Ram, Joint Secretary (BIMSTEC & SAARC) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, said the “strengthening policy making at the regional level is a major goal of the Government of India”. He noted the importance of the region's research community coming together to address challenges and commended BOBP IGO’s efforts to identify gaps in regional cooperation and work to close them. He said that this initiative was unique, having the blessings of the Hon’ble PM of India.

Earlier, Dr. P Krishnan welcomed the participants and explained the objectives of the Workshop. Funded by the Ministry of External Affairs of India and implemented by the BOBP-IGO, the BIMReN platform enables institutional collaborations across BIMSTEC countries through twinning research programmes and fellowships that allow doctoral students to conduct research at an Indian institution. Currently, there are six active programmes involving ten institutions from India collaborating with institutions in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand. The focus is on transboundary issues.

Dr. Cherdsak Virapat, Ex-DG, NACA & Ex-DG, CIRDAP, and Dr JK Jena, Deputy Director General (Fisheries), ICAR, New Delhi also attended the Workshop and commended BOBP-IGO for organizing it. Appreciating the progress of the scheme, they noted that the initiative has brought forth large dividends in the form of regional scientific cooperation.

‘A beautiful learning experience that was enhanced by sharing knowledge especially with young people in the field’ was the refrain from the members of BIMReN. ‘After coming to India, my outlook was broadened especially with regard to the Bay of Bengal’, said a student from Bangladesh on a one-year split-site fellowship, another component of the BIMReN platform.

BOBP PARTICIPATES IN FAO REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON IMPLEMENTING PARTNERSHIPS

Mr. Rajdeep Mukherjee, Project Coordinator, BOBLME-II project, BOBP-IGO participated in the Regional Workshop on Implementing Partnerships (MS701) held from 27-31 October 2025 in Nanchang, China.

The five-day workshop, organized by the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (FAO-RAP) with logistical support from the Jiangxi Poyang Lake Conservation Foundation of China, brought together project implementers from across the region to strengthen partnership management practices.
The comprehensive program covered critical aspects of implementing partnerships including:

Risk-based management and assurance frameworks
IP Agreement protocols and implementation challenges
Financial reporting and monitoring best practices
Project amendments, budget revisions, and GEF policy alignment

The workshop concluded with a field visit to Poyang Lake Nature Reserve in Lushan City, where participants learned about community alternative livelihoods, wetland conservation, and migratory bird protection at the Wucheng Conservation & Management Station.

This valuable knowledge exchange will strengthen the implementation of the BOBLME-II project and enhance collaboration with implementing partners across the Bay of Bengal region.

About BOBLME-II: The BOBLME-II project is funded by GEF and Norad and executed by FAO.

BOBP-IGO # KICCOF 2025, SEOUL

Dr. P Krishnan, Director, BOBP-IGO, participated in the 2025 Korea International Cooperation Conference on Oceans and Fisheries (KICCOF), underway in Seoul, Korea, alongside Korea Maritime Week from 20 to 25 October 2025.

The annual KICCOF, hosted by the Korea Maritime Institute and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Republic of Korea, had ministers, officials, and experts from across Asia and the world to deepen partnerships under the K-Ocean Economy Initiative—a platform to strengthen cooperation in ocean sustainability, digital transformation, and inclusive blue-economy growth.

The conference presents advancements made by South Korea in areas of digital governance, capacity building, and blue-carbon-aligned fisheries management. BOBP, participating with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, proposes to explore a partnership for combating IUU fishing in the region.

World Food Day is an international day celebrated every year worldwide on October 16 to commemorate the date of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 1945.

BOBP-IGO and FAO are working together to ensure a sustainable aquatic value chain, which makes about 15-17 per cent of global animal protein intake.

BOBP @ IUCN CONGRESS 2025: INITIATIVES FOR MAINSTREAMING EAFM IN SOUTH ASIA PRESENTED

IUCN Congress 2025 is being held in Abu Dhabi from 09-15 October 2025.

Delivering a talk on "Mainstreaming Ecosystem Approach in Fisheries Management" on October 13, 2025, Dr. Krishnan, Director, BOBP advocated the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) as an effective remedial tool to address issues impacting the health and ecosystem of the Bay of Bengal.

His presentation highlighted the legal review undertaken by BOBP and FAO to review the incorporation of EAFM requirements in the legal and policy frameworks of Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka. The study assessed the readiness of the region to mainstream the ecosystem approach in action.

Dr. Krishnan unveiled the joint action by BOBP and FAO to re-position EAFM in the region- by demonstrating its wider applicability beyond small-scale fisheries through examples such as the trawl fishery in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, and shrimp farming in Andhra Pradesh. He also spoke about the initiatives taken for spatial scale-up of EAFM pilot sites under the BOBLME project, with government commitments and support from FAO and Environmental Defense Fund.

The Chennai Resolution, mooted by BOBP (July 31, 2025) had called for the establishment of a National Network of EAF and Co-Management Practitioners. Dr. Krishnan informed the gathering about the launch of the BOBP-EDIF Centre for EAFM at ICAR-CMFRI, Kochi. The centre would act as the secretariat to the network and aid in accelerating the adoption of EAFM for sustainable fisheries governance and climate adaptation measures.

This scalable institutional mechanism would contribute to accelerating the adoption of EAFM, supporting sustainable fisheries governance and enhancing climate adaptation across the Bay of Bengal region.

Where ocean and livelihoods meet A journey across the Bay of Bengal

BOBP BOBLME MISSION COMPLETED IN BANGLADESH

The 10-day IUU Mission to Bangladesh under the Project was completed in Bangladesh. The Mission was undertaken from 1st to 10th October 2025 by Mr R. Mukherjee, International Consultant, BOBLME-II project.

Mr. Abu Tahir Muhammad Zaber, Secretary, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Government of Bangladesh and Dr Md. Abdur Rouf, Director General, Department of Fisheries, and Mr. Md. Abdus Sattar, Director, Marine Fisheries Office, DoF, Bangladesh, along with senior officers from the Ministry and Department, actively supported the mission and provided guidance for its activities. The concerned officials also appreciated the regional activities of the Organisation and endorsed the Regional Plan to curb IUU fishing. A National Consultation was also organised in Dhaka on 7th October 2025, which endorsed the need for review of Bangladesh's NPOA-IUU and Terms of Reference for the constitution of a National Working group on IUU fishing. Dr. Md. Khaled Kanak, Principal Scientific Officer, FIQC, DoF - the designated national IUU focal point and Mr Shoukat Kabir Chowdhury, Senior Assistant Director, Marine Fisheries Office, DoF and the National Project Coordinator for BOBLME-II Project in Bangladesh coordinated the in-country activities in Bangladesh.

On the penultimate day of the mission, 9th October, the Mission conducted a "Technical & Administrative Consultation on Assessing IUU Fishing Risk in Bangladesh" where 20 participants from the DoF, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Coast Guard, Marine Merchantile Department and Bangladesh River Police took part. A semi-quantitative IUU risk assessment methodology, earlier developed by FAO for BOBLME-II, was introduced and applied.

The results show that while significant IUU fishing risks persist in the country, the situation has improved compared to five years ago. Risk reduction was observed in the case of poaching and misreporting, while the introduction of the unapproved artisanal trawl is an emerging risk factor.

The Mission strengthened Bangladesh’s leadership in combating IUU fishing and advanced regional alignment under the BOBLME-II framework.