The Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center/Inland Fishery Resources Development and Management Department (SEAFDEC/IFRDMD), in collaboration with the Department of Fisheries Malaysia (DoF Malaysia), conducted a technical presentation and knowledge-sharing session on hydroacoustic and socio-economic assessment on 30 June 2026 at the Temerloh District Agriculture Office, Pahang, Malaysia.
The session was organized as part of the follow-up activity after the field surveys conducted in Pahang. It was attended by 13 participants who had been directly involved in the field activities, consisting of seven participants from DoF Malaysia and six participants from SEAFDEC/IFRDMD. The activity provided an opportunity for the participants to review the preliminary findings, discuss the field implementation process, and strengthen their understanding of methodologies used in inland fisheries assessment.
During the session, SEAFDEC/IFRDMD presented the preliminary results of the hydroacoustic survey conducted in inland waters of Pahang. The presentation covered the basic principles of hydroacoustic technology, field data collection procedures, data verification, and the use of acoustic information to support fish biomass estimation. The discussion also highlighted the importance of combining acoustic data with biological information, such as fish sampling, species composition, length measurement, and length-weight relationship analysis, to improve the reliability of fish stock assessment.
In addition to the hydroacoustic component, the session also included knowledge sharing on socio-economic assessment related to inland fisheries management. The participants discussed how socio-economic information can support a better understanding of local fisheries practices, community participation, institutional arrangements, resource use, compliance, and challenges faced by fishing communities. This information is important to complement biological and ecological data, particularly in developing practical recommendations for sustainable and participatory fisheries management.
SEAFDEC/IFRDMD also shared examples of fish stock assessment studies and methodologies applied in inland waters in Indonesia. These examples helped illustrate the process of estimating fish stocks, from survey design and data collection to analysis and interpretation of results. Since inland water ecosystems in Malaysia and Indonesia share similar ecological characteristics, the examples from Indonesia were relevant and useful for helping participants understand the workflow and technical process of inland fisheries stock assessment.
The session encouraged active discussion among participants, particularly on the application of hydroacoustic methods in riverine ecosystems, the integration of biological and socio-economic data, and the potential use of assessment results to support fisheries management decisions. Through this knowledge-sharing activity, participants gained a broader understanding of how scientific data and field-based information can be used together to support inland fisheries resource management.
This activity reflected the continued collaboration between SEAFDEC/IFRDMD and DoF Malaysia in strengthening technical capacity, promoting science-based fisheries assessment, and supporting sustainable management of inland fisheries resources in the Southeast Asian region. The preliminary results and discussions from the session are expected to provide useful inputs for further analysis and future collaborative activities in Pahang and other inland water areas.