With their countries major suppliers of fishery products, representatives from ASEAN member states and Japan will gather in Bangkok next year to map out measures for developing the industry and ensuring food security and safety in a constantly changing environment.

Negative factors such as climate change, ageing populations, natural disasters and the financial crunch could all affect food supply in the world market and trading competency, Suriyan Vichitlekarn, assistant director and head of the Agriculture Industries and Natural Resource Division of the ASEAN Secretariat, said yesterday.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, the world population will increase from 6.2 billion last year to 9 billion in 2050. This will clearly mean an enormous rise in food consumption.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Japan therefore will seek measures to cope with such a dramatic change and tighten cooperation with a view to creating sustainability for the industry in view of the importance of fish in people's diets, Suriyan said.

Although overall global fishing-industry production has not decreased over the past decade, the level of natural catches has fallen because of climate change, he said.

Many other issues had also impacted the industry, including rising concern over food security, food safety and financial problems. The region must, therefore, engage in solid cooperation to ensure sustainable growth for the sector, he said.

Bangkok will host the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Centre (SEAFDEC) Conference on Sustainable Fisheries for Food Security Towards 2020 - "Fish for the People 2020: Adaptation to the Changing Environment" - next June 13-17.

At the event, experts from ASEAN member states and Japan will discuss the problems faced by the fishing industry and seek measures for developing growth.

The conference will be the first such regional event in a decade, with ASEAN nations and Japan sharing information and brainstorming ideas for developing the industry.

Filemon Uriarte, executive director of the ASEAN Foundation, said closer cooperation among ASEAN members was important, as the region was a major global supplier of fishery products.

Cooperation will not only increase development of the industry, it will reduce the income gap among people in the region, as the industry involves millions of fishermen and other workers, he said.

Nanthiya Unprasert, deputy director-general of the Fisheries Department of Thailand, said the conference would discuss ways and means of enhancing governance in fishery management, attaining sustainable aquaculture development, promoting ecosystem-based fisheries management and improving post-harvest safety of fish and fishery products.

The emerging requirements for trade in fisheries products and climate-change adaptation and mitigation measures will be examined with a view to ensuring food security, Nanthiya said.

The conference results will be proposed to each participating country's government for adoption as a national agenda item for sustainable development of fishing-industry growth for the whole region.

She added that the event would also seek ways to solve other problems in the industry, such as the use of child labour and foreign workers and non-tariff barriers that affect regional expansion of the sector.