The Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, Training Department (SEAFDEC/TD) in collaboration with the Department of Fisheries (DOF) Thailand convened the "National Meeting for Verifying the Results of the Pilot Testing of Fishing Gear Marking" at Maejo University – Lamae Campus, Chumphon Province on 12 March 2026. The meeting gathered 41 key participants, fisheries officers, and stakeholders, including 10 local fishers, to evaluate the field performance of bird rings, plastic tags, and metal tags.

The evaluation focused on four critical pillars: practical feasibility within daily operations, cost-effectiveness for local fishers, durability in harsh marine environments, and overall community acceptance. A key outcome of this collaborative effort was the development of specific, practical recommendations for marking collapsible crab traps and crab gillnets, drawing directly from the hands-on expertise of the participating fishers.

The Regional Collaborative Research and Capacity Building for Monitoring and Reduction of Marine Debris from Fisheries in Southeast Asia project is supported by the Government of Japan through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF).