With an early focus on Southeast Asia, the new technical assistance initiative will unite a broad range of partners to turn global fisheries and biodiversity commitments and ambition into real, on-the-ground enforcement capability.
OXFORDSHIRE, United Kingdom, Sept. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Global non-profit OceanMind today announced the launch of Syndra, a new global initiative designed to help strengthen regional cooperation and enforcement effectiveness as governments move from ambition to delivery on critical marine governance commitments.
Formally introduced at a special side event during the SAFET 2026 Conference in Cebu, the Philippines, Syndra is envisioned as a collaborative mechanism through which governments, regional organisations, philanthropic partners, development institutions, and technical agencies can strengthen the institutional foundations required for ocean commitments to succeed. Its regional approach strengthens intelligence use, institutional readiness, and operational coordination to improve both fisheries governance and biodiversity protection at a scale that single-country interventions cannot achieve alone.
While international marine commitments are accelerating, national implementation capacity across connected ocean regions often lags behind. The historic Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement creates an urgent need for joint oversight and cross-jurisdictional area-based management. Similarly, the UN's Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA) offers a powerful collective deterrent against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, but its effectiveness relies on uniform, coordinated execution across neighbouring port states.
Syndra addresses these challenges by focusing on the practical conditions needed for joint action: integrating intelligence into decision-making, streamlining inter-agency workflows, and closing operational gaps between neighbouring states.
"The critical constraint facing ocean governance today is not a lack of legal ambition, but the operational capability required to turn commitments into consistent action," said Nick Wise, founder and CEO of OceanMind. "PSMA is exponentially more effective when neighbouring states strengthen port-state practices together — preventing IUU-linked catch from slipping through the gaps. By fostering strong regional collaboration through Syndra, we can better equip governments with the information, tools, and resources they need to ensure operational capabilities keep pace with ambitions."
Enabling practical outcomes across shared waters
OceanMind acts as a hands-on technical partner, steward, and secretariat for Syndra. In practice, the initiative enables governments to:
- Close regional enforcement gaps: Harmonise PSMA implementation across neighbouring ports, significantly reducing the displacement and offloading of IUU-linked catch.
- Support BBNJ area-based management: Build institutional capability for cross-border monitoring, compliance, and joint response across connected marine ecosystems.
- Embed intelligence into workflows: Modernise analytical, procedural, and inter-agency workflows so front-line enforcement officers can act on targeted intelligence.
- Build governance assurance: Provide transparent, verifiable outcomes that give governments and funding partners the confidence to invest in durable ocean protection at scale.
Building on national efforts across Southeast Asia
The initial node for Syndra is rooted in Southeast Asia, building directly upon OceanMind's established history of technical assistance with national authorities in the region, including:
- Cambodia General Directorate of Fisheries (GDF): OceanMind has previously worked with Cambodian government counterparts on monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS) training and broader marine-resource governance support. Today, with support from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the collaboration is centred on helping GDF strengthen PSMA implementation.
- The Philippines Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR): OceanMind has partnered with BFAR since 2018 across marine domain awareness, dark vessel detection, and PSMA support. Today, building on recent intelligence and patrol work supported by Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the collaboration is transitioning into a mature phase focused on quality assurance, national process ownership, advanced risk assessments, and targeted inspection planning.
- Thailand Department of Fisheries (DoF): OceanMind has long provided technical support to the Royal Thai Government DoF in its work to pinpoint and deter illegal fishing operations. Today, this work serves as a strong operational model for comprehensive MCS and PSMA implementation, with DoF representatives sharing practical lessons on enabling technologies at SAFET 2026.
How to get involved
OceanMind is actively holding discussions with global and regional partners to expand support for Syndra in Southeast Asia and beyond, establishing a practical pathway to safeguard biodiversity, eliminate IUU fishing, and secure sustainable ocean economies. The following groups are encouraged to contribute:
- Government agencies and regional fisheries organisations: Reach out to OceanMind to request assistance in implementing marine governance commitments in your region.
- Philanthropic funders, development banks, and public finance institutions: Connect to learn more about how you can shape an emerging investment pathway for marine governance implementation.
- Technical assistance partners: For NGOs, tech providers, and existing programmes and initiatives in this space, contact OceanMind to get involved.
Interested parties can contact the OceanMind team here.
About OceanMind
OceanMind is a global non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering marine enforcers and decision-makers to protect ocean health. By combining advanced satellite analytics, artificial intelligence, and hands-on operational support, OceanMind works directly alongside government agencies, fisheries authorities, and enforcement bodies to turn marine data into actionable compliance, effective monitoring, and lasting ocean protection. To learn more, visit www.oceanmind.global.
Media Contact
Nikki Arnone, Inflection Point Agency for OceanMind, 1 (719) 357-8344, [email protected], https://oceanmind.global/
Logan Varsano, [email protected]
SOURCE OceanMind
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