A major concern among ecologists in and outside the ASEAN region is the degradation of the environment, and the overexploitation of freshwater and marine resources. There is as yet no indication that freshwater and marine resources are being managed on a sustainable basis, and loss of wetlands, whether freshwater swamps or mangrove swamps, is a major problem in the ASEAN region. Reclamation of mangrove swamps for aquaculture and agriculture seems to be a continuous activity here and the status of marine parks should also be examined in the light of recent resort development acitivities on small islands. This volume contains numerous recommendations for the promotion of ecological studies and regional cooperation in marine, freshwater ecology and conservation, with special emphasis on the common water masses like the Strait of Malacca, Gulf of Thailand and the South China Sea.

In Asia, the fisheries sector is important in terms of food security, livelihoods and foreign exchange earnings. However, as in many parts of the world, there are signs that capture fisheries are fully exploited or overfished. Management of fisheries in the region is often hampered by lack of information on the status of fisheries in terms of biological, social, economic, policy and governance aspects. This regional project documents an alarming decline on coastal fishery resources, based on historic research surveys in South and Southeast Asia. Socio-economic analyses and policy reviews highlight the importance of the fisheries sector but also the challenges facing it. Potential interventions to improve fisheries management in the countries are outlined and defined with environmental, socioeconomic and institutional objectives.