The 7th Belt and Road Initiative Marine Fisheries Advanced Training Program at Shanghai Ocean University wrapped up with a closing ceremony on Sept 29. Participants from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Japan, gathered for this event.

Since its inception in 2016, Shanghai Ocean University has conducted six successful sessions of the program. The program has cultivated a cadre of high-quality marine fishery professionals from countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, fostering cooperation and development in regional marine fisheries.

This year's program featured a rich array of activities, including an international symposium on Rice-Fish Systems, co-hosted by the university and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, as well as specialized courses on Lancang-Mekong rice-fish farming techniques. Participants also visited the aquaculture tailwater and sediment treatment demonstration project in Qingpu district and the Dongtan Wetland Park. Many attendees remarked that the training was not only a platform for academic exchange but also a venue for intellectual and cultural integration.

Jaynos Cortes from Mindanao State University - Lanao del Norte Agricultural College, along with Jasper Kit Tangal and Ratchamongkol Khajornwutthisak from Kasetsart University, spoke on behalf of the participants. They highlighted that the lectures and field visits provided valuable opportunities to engage with leading figures in the global industry and expressed their aspiration to collaboratively advance the sustainable development of marine fisheries, envisioning a brighter future.

Source: International Student Office, Shanghai Ocean University