NACA paid a courtesy visit to Dr. Thitiporn Laoprasert, the newly appointed Director General of Thailand’s Department of Fisheries (DOF), to chart a course for enhanced regional cooperation. This high-level meeting served as both an official welcome for the new Director General, although she has contributed to NACA activities for many years, and a strategic session to align regional goals with Thailand's national fisheries expertise.

Decades of foundational support

During the visit, Dr. Eduardo Leano, Director General of NACA, extended his appreciation for Thailand’s unwavering commitment to the organisation. For over thirty-five years, Thailand has played a pivotal role as the host nation for the NACA Secretariat, providing the essential infrastructure and administrative support that allows the network to function as a hub for aquaculture innovation across the Asia-Pacific.

Addressing modern challenges: Food security and efficiency

Dr. Laoprasert outlined a forward-thinking agenda centered on driving innovation and efficiency of the aquaculture industry for regional food security. Recognising the economic pressures facing producers, she called for a collaborative push in R&D to drive down costs for producers. 

Priority areas for collaboration

The discussion identified four pillars for cooperation:

• Climate resilience: Developing strategies to protect the aquaculture sector against the increasing unpredictability of climate change.
• Social equity: Actively promoting gender equality and inclusive practices within the industry workforce.
• Nature-based solutions: Integrating ecological health with economic output.
• Knowledge brokering: Expanding the "Aquaculture Innovation and Investment Hub" to streamline how new technologies reach local farmers.

Looking ahead: The Aquaculture Innovation and Investment Hub

The partnership is already yielding tangible results through the documentation of nature-based solutions. The Thai DOF team is currently identifying local innovations that will contribute to a new regional Aquaculture Innovation and Investment Hub (AquaHub), ensuring that Thai expertise continues to shape the transformation of aquaculture throughout Asia-Pacific.