From March 24–26, 2026, a three-day re-training orientation on the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) and Electronic Reporting System (ERS) was successfully conducted in General Santos City, bringing together key stakeholders from the handline fisheries sector.
The activity aimed to strengthen compliance with national fisheries regulations, particularly Fisheries Administrative Orders (FAO) Nos. 260, 266, and 198-1, while reinforcing monitoring, control, and surveillance systems to combat Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. Participants were re-oriented on vessel registration, licensing requirements, and mandatory catch reporting, alongside the critical role of VMS in ensuring traceability and fisher safety.
Sessions included technical presentations, regulatory discussions, and hands-on demonstrations of VMS devices to validate operational procedures such as activation, signal transmission, and real-time tracking. An open forum also provided a platform for participants to raise operational concerns, particularly on device reliability and battery performance.
The activity concluded with recommendations for onboard inspections and a structured testing plan for various VMS units to assess performance under actual fishing conditions. Overall, the training reinforced the sector’s commitment to regulatory compliance, improved traceability systems, and sustainable fisheries management.
