Ocean and Fisheries

APEC’s Oceans and Fisheries Working Group (OFWG) was formed in 2011, following a decision to merge the Marine Resource Conservation and the Fisheries working groups (in operation since 1990 and 1991, respectively).

The OFWG aims to support APEC’s mission to foster sustainable economic growth, development and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. The vision of the OFWG is to promote sustainable fisheries and aquaculture management while ensuring ocean ecosystems remain resilient and provide economic value to support the livelihood of Asia-Pacific communities and food security in regional and global food supply chains.

OFWG’s five principal objectives:

1. Take continued action to end Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, and protect associated workers involved through the implementation of the APEC Roadmap on Combatting IUU fishing and the development of relevant activities.
2. Take continued action to end Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, and protect associated workers involved through the implementation of the APEC Roadmap on Combatting IUU fishing and the development of relevant activities.
Address the physical and economic impacts of marine litter, marine debris, and ghost fishing gear, including through the implementation of the APEC Roadmap on Marine Debris and the development of relevant activities.
3. Take continued action to end Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, and protect associated workers involved through the implementation of the APEC Roadmap on Combatting IUU fishing and the development of relevant activities.
Contribute to sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries and Aquaculture (SSFA) both inland and in coastal areas of the APEC region, including through the implementation of the OFWG Roadmap on SSFA and the development of relevant activities.
4. Take continued action to end Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, and protect associated workers involved through the implementation of the APEC Roadmap on Combatting IUU fishing and the development of relevant activities.
Enhance ocean resilience in the APEC region, including through the development of an APEC Ocean Resilience Enhancement Roadmap.
5. Take continued action to end Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, and protect associated workers involved through the implementation of the APEC Roadmap on Combatting IUU fishing and the development of relevant activities.
Facilitate Blue Economy development in the APEC region, including the promotion of initiatives and relevant activities to advance the sustainable management and conservation of ocean and coastal resources and ecosystems and to foster sustainable economic growth.

Contacts

Current Activities

The 25th OFWG Plenary Meeting

The meeting was held on 4-5 February 2026 in SOM1 in Guangzhou, China.

OFWG members shared on their individual and collective actions taking place in the ocean and fisheries sector, including the implementation of the Roadmaps on marine debris, IUU fishing, and small-scale fisheries and aquaculture. New discussions took place on topics like ocean resilience and ocean literacy, along with a review of OFWG’s strategic documents.

The 26th OFWG Plenary Meeting (upcoming)

The meeting is now scheduled in August 2026 within SOM3 cluster in Dalian, China.

Recent activities and events

• Project events in January – March 2026

1. Workshop on Sharing Best Public and Private Practices in the Aquaculture sector and Coexisting with Biodiversity in the APEC Region (OFWG 208 2024A) on 6 February in Guangzhou, China
2. Virtual meeting on Guidebook for early detection of infectious diseases in rainbow trout and tilapia species (OFWG 204 2024A) on 26 February
3. Virtual workshop: Findings and Policy Opportunities from Circularity Assessment Protocols across APEC Economies (OFWG 203 2023A) on 5 March

• Project events in 2025

1. Virtual workshop on Implementing effective gear marking strategies for fishing and aquaculture gear in the APEC region (OFWG 06 2024S) on 5 February
2. Best Practices Workshop on Development, Review and Implementation of Plans of Action to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU Fishing (POAs-IUU) (OFWG 207 2024A) took place on 29 April in Busan, Korea
3. Strengthening Climate Resilience and Food Security via Stakeholder-Driven Sustainable Seaweed Supply Workshop (OFWG 203 2024A) took place on 29 April in Busan, Korea
4. Workshop on Climate Change Impact on Marine Ecosystem: Digital Monitoring and Prediction Tools (OFWG 01 2025S) took place on 29 April in Busan, Korea
5. The first Conference on Strengthening Sustainable Growth and Resilience in Small-Scale Fisheries through Fishing Vessel Modernization (OFWG 10 2025S) took place on 29 April in Busan, Korea
6. Workshop on Strengthening Small-Scale Aquaculture (SSA) Governance in APEC region (OFWG 102 2024A) took place on 20-21 May in Monterey, US
7. APEC Workshop on Marine Hazard Prevention and Mitigation in Fisheries  in the Context of Climate Change (OFWG 02 2025S) took place on 4 July in Nanjing, China
8. Workshop on Enhancing adaptation and mitigation to climate change for the sustainable aquaculture of the Asia-Pacific (OFWG 02 2023A) took place on 15-16 September in Ha Noi, Viet Nam
9. Workshop on Promoting Decision Support System (DSS) Using Digital Data to Support Small Pelagic Fisheries Management in the APEC Region (OFWG 101 2024A) took place on 23-25 September in Jakarta, Indonesia
10. Workshop on Capacity Building on Integrating Coastal Blue Carbon Ecosystems into Climate Policies in the APEC Region (OFWG 206 2024A) will take place on 15-16 October in Taipei City, Chinese Taipei
11. Workshop on Marine Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Community Development in APEC Economies (OFWG 104 2024A) will take place on 28-30 October in Shenzhen, China
12. APEC Workshop on Blue Citizen Communities for Ocean Literate Society (OFWG 103 2024A) will take place on 6-8 November in Xiamen, China
13. The 8th APEC Blue Economy Forum (OFWG 04 2025S) will take place on 6-7 November in Xiamen, China

• There are publications published on APEC publications database that include research and reports done by OFWG members, contributing to OFWG objectives and APEC vision and plan of actions.