In response to the impact of climate change and mitigations that the fishery industry has had to make, the Executive Yuan’s Council of Agriculture held the APEC Seminar on Sharing the Experience of Mitigating the Impact of Extreme Climate on Agriculture and Fisheries from March 21st to 22nd. This seminar was called in response to the impact that extreme climates such as storms, draught, heat waves, cold fronts, and even compound disasters have caused on global fishery and agricultural industries. It was also an opportunity to learn from each nation’s adaptive and response strategies. 18 of the 21 APEC member economies were represent in attendance, with approximately 100 participants from the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, Korea, and other nations.

The Seminar invited CEO Chern Jenn-Chuan of the Morakot Post-Disaster Reconstruction Council, Executive Yuan as keynote speaker on the results achieved through governmental, private, and business cooperation in reconstruction efforts in the two and a half years after Typhoon Morakot. He also promoted the concept of “Disaster prevention is more important than disaster relief. Avoidance of disaster is better than prevention disaster”, in addition to the procedures simultaneously implemented in disaster rescue, reconstruction, and prevention so that we may accommodate any challenges brought on by natural disasters at all times while minimizing losses. The seminar also provided further insight to the beautiful indegious culture that was integrated into, negotiated, and became a part of Taiwan’s reconstruction process.

In addition, academic experts from Australia, Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, China, and Taiwan will delved deep into climate change and natural disaster prevention response mechanism within fishery industry policies and shared the various reconstruction measures and adaptation experiences they utilized in response to extreme climate conditions. This will set an action protocol with the hope to promote goals for steady development within the ocean fishery and fish farming industry. The conclusions of this seminar will be organized into suggestions and submitted to the APEC Informal Senior Officials Meeting and the Marine and Fishery Working Group.

CEO Chern Jenn-Chuan of the Morakot Post-Disaster Reconstruction Council was invited as keynote speaker in APEC Seminar on Sharing the Experiences of Mitigating the Impact of Extreme Climate on