The Southeast Asia Fish for Justice Network (SEAFish) is a regional network composed of 14 NGOs from five countries in the region, including Oxfams working in East Asia. The network has participated in the regional Make Trade Fair campaign and thus focuses on fisheries trade issues. One of its specific points of attention is the production and trade of tropical shrimps in Southeast Asia. In 2006, it has published a paper providing an overview of the sector, the fisheries issues of SEAFish member-countries and recommendations to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to mitigate the impacts of these issues.

NOVIB, in the Netherlands, has added to this work a specific North-South dimension by starting dialogues with Dutch importers of tropical shrimps. These dialogues have led to approaches that include advocacies on the certification of shrimps, concrete suggestions to Southeast Asian NGOs on cooperation on this matter and further dialogues with many NGOs worldwide. Questions were raised in these inter-NGO dialogues on whether or not certification can resolve shrimp-related issues and cooperation with the private sector lead to meaningful changes.

Bali Shrimp Meeting docu.pdf