Abbie Topping – May 2025
We are delighted to welcome Santa Mervien Alexandra (Vien) to the Board of Trustees at the Sustainable Fisheries and Communities Trust (SFACT).
Vien is a seasoned professional in fisheries and ocean governance, with a background that bridges science, policy, and international collaboration. Born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia, and based in Germany for nearly two decades, Vien brings over 17 years of global experience to SFACT’s mission.
She currently works at the German Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE) in Hamburg, where she supports licensing, quota management, and regulatory coordination for German fishing vessels operating in the EU waters and internationally. Her multilingual abilities (Indonesian, German, and English) enhance her ability to connect with diverse stakeholders across regions and cultures.
Her career spans a wide range of impactful roles:
🔹 Researcher at Statista, focusing on Indonesia’s sectors, including politics and fisheries,
🔹 Contributor to The Outlaw Ocean Project, investigating labour and environmental abuses,
🔹 Policy work with Indonesia’s Presidential Task Force to Combat IUU Fishing,
🔹 Participant in major forums like UNFCCC, COP, and IOTC.
Her work is driven by a commitment to promoting inclusive, equitable, and science-informed ocean governance, with a strong focus on gender equality, small-scale fisheries, and marginalised coastal communities.
Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Vien as she embarks on this new role with SFACT!
