Co-management is arguably the best way forward for near-coast capture fisheries that is why ICAFIS accepted a consultancy with the FAO Regional Fisheries Livelihoods Programme in South and Southeast Asia (RFLP) to provide training on fisheries co-management for its target provinces of Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam.

The first two very productive training sessions were conducted in Quang Tri DARD on 21st - 22nd March for government officials at provincial, district and commune levels by Ngo Tien Chuong, Vice-director of ICAFIS and Tuong Phi Lai, consultant.

The main objectives were to provide the target groups with basic concept on fisheries co-management and its main components to improve capacity and awareness of local government officials in their approach to co-managed fisheries resources and to establish core organizations, such as fisheries associations, for co-management arrangement in the province. The participants showed a great interest in the co-management approach and expect to attend more related training sessions in future. In this consultation, more training sessions will be provided for similar target groups to two other provinces of Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam, and very basic training sessions will also be delivered in April to fishers' organizations in 16 target communes in 3 provinces by ICAFIS.