The introduction and establishment of Invasive Aquatic Species (IAS) is considered as one of the threats to the biodiversity of the world’s freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems. The global economic impacts of IAS, including disruption to fisheries, damage to coastal industry and infrastructure, shipping industry, tourism industry and marine ecosystem services, have been estimated at several hundred million dollars per year (IMO). The main vectors of the unintentional transfer of non-indigenous species are ships' ballast water, biofouling of mobile marine structures and aquaculture practices.

Biofouling is the accumulation of aquatic microorganisms, plants, algae, or small animals on the surfaces and structures immersed or exposed to the aquatic environment. Significant research during the last 20 years have confirmed that biofouling had been underestimated as a possible vector for non-indigenous species and may in fact be one of the main mechanisms for their introduction or expansion of species into new marine or freshwater habitats.

Improving or minimizing biofouling on ships has the added benefit of improving their energy efficiency. As a result, biofouling has been identified as one of the potential key resources that may contribute in the short term to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from the shipping industry.

In order to improve the management of biofouling, minimize its role as a potential vector for the introduction of IAS and help maritime industries to reduce their carbon footprint, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) have launched the GloFouling Partnerships Project. The project includes a conscious effort to seek the expertise accumulated by the private sector, through the Global Industry Alliance (GIA) for Marine Biosafety, a cross-sectoral platform that brings together global industries from maritime, shipping, ocean energy, aquaculture and other ocean-based industries to help identify common difficulties and solutions, facilitate technology development and break barriers for its uptake with the ultimate goal of improved biofouling management.

As a follow-up seminar to a Regional Seminar on Biofouling Management and Invasive Aquatic Species in the East Asian Seas which took place in 23 June 2021, this collab which is part of a series of collabs under the East Asian Seas Congress 2021 focused at sharing the latest technology and research initiatives and discussed how they may help maritime industries to address issues related to biofouling, in support of the implementation of the IMO Biofouling Guidelines at the regional and national levels in the ASEAN region.

The Inauguration of the PNLC was facilitated by the signing of the network’s Charter that formalized the PNLC and specified the ground rules on membership and identified joint activities and outputs amongst its members as well as options for sustainability and funding support.

Out of 18 PNLC members, 10 institutions signed the PNLC Charter during the event, namely:

1. Burapha University (BUU), Thailand;

2. Cavite State University (CvSU), Philippines;

3. De La Salle Lipa (DLSL), Philippines;

4. Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan;

5. IPB University – Center for Coastal and Marine Resources Studies (IPB-CCMRS), Indonesia;

6. Oriental University of Timor Leste (UNITAL), Timor-Leste;

7. Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP), Cambodia;

8. Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa’e (UNTL), Timor-Leste;

9. University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV), Philippines; and

10. Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan (XU), Philippines.

Other universities that also approved the PNLC Charter (with signatures to follow) include:

1. Kim II Sung University (KISU), DPR Korea;

2. Prince of Songkla University (PSU), Thailand;

3. University of Da Nang, Vietnam; and

4. Xiamen University – Coastal and Ocean Management Institute (XMU-COMI), China.

The inauguration was attended by 86 participants who represented 14 PNLC member institutions from 8 countries; PEMSEA Executive Committee; PEMSEA’s country- and noncountry partners; and other organizations. The event was organized by Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA).

To promote the knowledge and experience sharing of blue carbon science and policy and facilitate the international cooperation of blue carbon research and management under PEMSEA framework, the 2021 International Conference of Blue Carbon will be held in the 19th November 2021 as hybrid meeting using ZOOM portal. The conference is sponsored as a major event of the PEMSEA EAS Congress 2021 and 2021 World Ocean Week in Xiamen.

Themed as Blue carbon ecosystems management for climate change mitigation and adaption, the symposium is designed to get together experts and professional on the study of Blue Carbon to discuss the following topics:

(1) Potential of blue carbon ecosystems for climate action;

(2) Management efforts of coastal blue carbon ecosystem for climate change mitigation and adaption;

(3) Cooperation of blue carbon research and management.

The event was participated by Dr. Aimee Gonzales, Executive Director of PEMSEA, Dr. Emily Pidgeon, co-chair of the Blue Carbon Initiative and Vice President of Ocean Science and Innovation, Conservation International, nearly 300 participants from 21 countries present, including government officials, scholars and NGO representatives concerning Blue Carbon.

The 2021 PNLG Forum with the theme “Networking for a New Ocean Decade of Hope” was hosted by the Provincial Administration of Preah Sihanouk (Cambodia) and co-organized by the PNLG Secretariat and PEMSEA Resource Facility (PRF). The forum, which convened PNLG members for a General Assembly, was conducted on 1 December 2021 as part of the East Asian Seas (EAS) Congress 2021 through a blended online approach and face‐to‐face meeting for the PNLG members and observers in Cambodia.

A total of 206 participants attended the Forum, representing:

a) 24 PNLG member local governments from 9 countries, namely Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, Philippines, RO Korea, Timor-Leste, and Viet Nam;

b) 3 PNLG associate members, namely the First Institute of Oceanography (FIO) of the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) of China and the Coastal and Ocean Management Institute (COMI) and Fujian Institute for Sustainable Oceans (FISO) of Xiamen University (XMU) in China;

c) guests from PEMSEA’s Executive Committee, PEMSEA country- and non-country partners, PEMSEA Network of Learning Centers (PNLC), other local governments, various national governments, the private sector, and media;

d) the PNLG Secretariat; and e) the PRF.

Since 2003, the EAS Congress has served as an intellectual marketplace and forum on the sustainable development of the seas of the world's fastest-growing region. This triennial event provides a platform for ministerial and high-level technical discussions along with opportunities for knowledge sharing and networking between different sectors of society from international organizations, multilateral banks, and local governments down to the scientific community, youth sector, private firms, academe, civil society, and other development partners.

The 2021 EAS Congress came at a fitting time as the EAS region goes through a new normal while nearing the completion of the 2018-2022 Implementation Plan (IP) of the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA). Armed with greater public awareness on the links between ocean health and human health, the region is one and aligned with the global recognition to act on pressing socioeconomic, ecological, and climate change issues, and sustain the momentum of building meaningful and transformative solutions for a sustainable ocean-based economy.

The Seventh East Asian Seas (EAS) Ministerial Forum was held on 02 December 2021 as part of the EAS Congress 2021, which was held through a hybrid mechanism, with country delegations convening in their respective countries and connected via Zoom. The Ministerial Forum was hosted by the Royal Government of Cambodia through the Ministry of Environment, with support from the Provincial Administration of Preah Sihanouk, Cambodia and co-organized with PEMSEA.

Carrying the theme, “Advancing our Sustainable Development Agenda: Road to 2030 for Healthy Ocean, People, and Economies”, the Seventh Ministerial Forum, a) highlighted the progress made by the EAS region through the PEMSEA partnership on the implementation of the region’s common framework of action- the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA); b) recognized the impacts as well as the opportunities to build back stronger and greener from the global pandemic, as well as other persistent and emerging concerns in the region; and c) endorsed the PEMSEA Roadmap to 2030 that is anchored on the SDS-SEA vision, shared commitment to the Blue Economy strategy and on the overall sustainable development agenda.

Eleven countries were represented at the Seventh Ministerial Forum, namely: Cambodia, PR China, DPR Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Philippines, RO Korea, Singapore, Timor-Leste, and Viet Nam. The event was participated by the PEMSEA Chair Emeritus, Executive Committee members, representatives from the PEMSEA Non-Country Partners, and various PEMSEA networks from the local governments, academe, and youth as observers. Representatives from PEMSEA’s developing partners from the regional and international level, including from UNDP, were also present, together with other observers from PEMSEA collaborators. The PEMSEA Resource Facility served as Secretariat to the Forum.

Following the Seventh Ministerial Forum, a 30-minute virtual Press Conference was held, wherein MOE Minister Say Samal, PEMSEA Council Chair Mr. Arief Yuwono, and PEMSEA Executive Director Ms. Aimee Gonzales served as panelists, together with media representatives from the different PEMSEA member countries.

The Seventh East Asian Seas (EAS) Senior Government Officials’ Meeting (SGOM) was held on 25 November 2021 via Zoom. Senior Government Officials from 11 PEMSEA Country Partners participated in the meeting, namely: Cambodia, PR China, DPR Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Philippines, RO Korea, Singapore, Timor-Leste and Viet Nam. The PEMSEA Resource Facility (PRF) served as the Secretariat for the Meeting.

The 27th PEMSEA EC Meeting was held virtually on 26 October 2021 through a Zoom conference call. Representatives from 10 PEMSEA country partners (CPs)—namely Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Philippines, RO Korea, Singapore, Timor-Leste, and Viet Nam—attended the meeting along with representatives from PEMSEA non-country partners (NCPs), namely; International Environmental Management of Enclosed Coastal Seas (EMECS) Center, IPIECA, Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation (KOEM), Northwest Pacific Action Plan (NOWPAP), Ocean Policy Research Institute – The Sasakawa Foundation (OPRI-SPF), Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL), and PEMSEA Network of Local Governments (PNLG). The PEMSEA Resource Facility (PRF) served as the Secretariat for the meeting.