On November 9, 2023, a comprehensive project update meeting took place with one of the project’s key collaborators, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Region 12 (BFAR Region 12) at their satellite office.
Scheduled capacity-building trainings are underway, with Batch 3 for municipal fishers from November 15-17 and Batch 4 for commercial fishers from November 28 to December 1. There is potential for an additional session in December to complete the trainings.
Looking ahead, a Fisheries Improvement Program (FIP) and Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) training for BFAR Region 12 is planned, slated for next month and featuring participants from the Enforcement and Validation sections.
BFAR has assumed responsibility for validating Catch Landing Reports for both municipal and commercial fishers landing in the Gensan Fishport. Conversely, vessels unloading outside the Gensan Fishport will undergo validation by LGU. Furthermore, BFAR Region 12 has plans to conduct a training session for LGU validators early next year.
During the meeting, the IUU hotline was confirmed and its details can be accessed here.
On the topic of Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS), the project team is diligently compiling a list of vessels in the Fisheries Improvement Program (FIP) to identify those with active or inactive VMS. Pending installations are slated for resolution, possibly within this year.
