8. Covid-19 Impacts on ASEAN Aquatic Environment: Towards Mitigation Actions for Impending Resilience on Aquaculture and Fisheries in Brunei Darussalam

A novel coronavirus disease called COVID-19 is a persistent problem on a global scale. Worldwide aquatic food production is affected by COVID-19, much like other sectors that produce food. Aquaculture methods and output are being negatively impacted by the COVID-19 epidemic and the ensuing lockdowns and limitations. Aquaculture is the practice of raising aquatic organisms for human consumption in aquatic environments. Aquaculture operations cannot be carried out without the involvement of humans. Because humans have manipulated freshwater, brackish water, and marine ecosystems to develop aquaculture, different aquaculture methods are the results of interactions between humans and the environment. The COVID-19 pandemic in Southeast Asia has had a significant negative impact on the fisheries and aquaculture industry, particularly on the socioeconomic circumstances of the stakeholders, such as fishers, fish farmers, traders, and consumers. In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic had adverse effects on the global aquatic environment affecting both artisanal and commercial fishing as well as aquaculture (species, markets, and farm financial capacity), producers supplying the food services industry (hotels, restaurants, and catering), working conditions along the supply chain (particularly for women and other vulnerable workers), and fisheries management practices. However, this review paper has discussed comprehensively the influence of COVID-19 on the aquatic environments towards various post-pandemic mitigating methods for the aquaculture and fishing industries in the ASEAN region, with a distinct emphasis on Brunei Darussalam.