ISUFST showcases 16 research and art works on small-scale fisheries

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MARAWI CITY — As the Philippines pushes for stronger protection of its small-scale fishers through the “Atin ang Kinse Kilometro” bill, faculty and students from the Iloilo State University of Fisheries Science and Technology (ISUFST) joined hundreds of advocates in Mindanao to transform research into resolve.

Eight ISUFST delegates—seven faculty members and one fisheries student—presented 16 scientific and creative works at the Second Philippine Small-Scale Fisheries National Symposium (PSSFNS2) held on Oct. 21–23, 2025, at the Mindanao State University–Main Campus in Marawi City.

The presentations, blending science, storytelling, and song, promoted sustainability and inclusivity in the country’s small-scale fisheries sector.

Gathering more than 300 scientists, educators, artists, fishers, students, and policymakers, the three-day symposium carried the theme “From Recognition to Action.”

Organized by Mindanao State University and Too Big To Ignore (TBTI) Philippines, it called for stronger and fairer policies to protect the country’s 15-kilometer municipal waters—the heart of the “Atin ang Kinse” campaign, which upholds small fishers’ rightful access to local seas.

“This consortium of universities, agencies, and communities aims to make small-scale fisheries visible, viable, and sustainable,” said Dr. Glen Lorenzo, MSU vice president for research and extension.

The event also addressed pressing issues such as climate change, overfishing, and illegal encroachment by commercial vessels—challenges that the pending “Atin ang Kinse Kilometro Bill” (House Bill 5606) seeks to confront.

Representing ISUFST were Dr. Rolindo B. Demo-os Jr., Dr. Jescel B. Bito-onon, Prof. Rother M. Gaudiel, Dr. Quin Y. Clarito, Dr. Michael B. Dizon, Instructor Jezreel C. Donguila, Dr. Herman M. Lagon, and BS Fisheries student Melody Vaughn Ferrer.

Their wide-ranging outputs—from fisheries research and photo essays to poetry and original music—reflected ISUFST’s belief that science and culture can work hand in hand to protect marine ecosystems.

Among the technical studies were “Catch Rates and Fishery Characterization of Filter Nets in Tinori-an River, Iloilo” by Bito-onon and Gaudiel, and “Fishing Smarter: Comparative Analysis of Fish Pot Designs Used by Small-Scale Fishers in Banate Bay” by Clarito.

Ferrer’s team, composed of students and faculty from the College of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, presented “Pearl and Other Economically Valuable Oysters of Northern Iloilo: Morphometric Insights for Conservation and Fisheries.”

The study, which explored the balance between livelihood and conservation, won second place in the oral presentation category, besting entries from universities nationwide.

“These projects show how local innovation builds resilience in small-scale fisheries,” said Dr. Bito-onon, ISUFST director for research and development.

“It’s not just about data; it’s about empowering the communities that depend on our waters,” he added.

The symposium also highlighted creative works that bridged science and human experience.

Dr. Herman M. Lagon’s poetry, short stories, and photography collections—“Between Net and Node,” “The Net That Holds,” “Where the Line Holds,” “Of Change,” “Lines of Salt and Hope,” “When Only the Bangkas Rest,” and “When Currents Meet the Roots”—captured the heart of coastal life: its challenges, rhythms, and resilience.

Lagon, together with Instructor Jezreel C. Donguila, also presented two original advocacy songs, “Let the Line Hold” and “The Lines We Cast,” inspired by the “Atin ang Kinse” movement.

The songs, arranged with karaoke-style visuals and live footage edited by Patrick Lance Nacion using images from Dean Demo-os and Dr. Lagon, were performed by Donguila during the closing plenary and memorandum of agreement signing, drawing loud applause from the audience.

Outside the symposium halls, the ISUFST delegates experienced Maranao culture through a Pagana Meranao dinner—an elaborate ceremonial feast where guests “eat like royalty.”

Seated around a grand tabak (ornate tray), they shared traditional dishes with their hands in the true Maranao style.

The symposium concluded with the signing of the Marawi Manifesto, a collective pledge of support for the “Atin ang Kinse” movement and the TBTI advocacy for inclusive, sustainable, and resilient fisheries.

During the signing, Donguila’s live rendition of “Let the Line Hold” and “The Lines We Cast” played as photos of fisherfolk and coastal communities flashed onscreen—a moment described by attendees as “a hymn for the sea and the people who live by it.”

Participants also celebrated the selection of Batangas State University as host of the Third Philippine Small-Scale Fisheries National Symposium in 2026, marking the growing reach of the TBTI network across the country.

They capped the event with a visit to Marawi’s Ground Zero, where the scars of war stood as a solemn reminder that battles for survival take many forms.

Just as Marawi once fought for life and peace, the “Atin ang Kinse” movement now fights for the rights of small fishers—and the seas that sustain them—to live and thrive.

ISUFST President Dr. Nordy D. Siason Jr. commended the delegation for embodying the university’s vision of blending science, culture, arts, and compassion in service of people and the planet.

He emphasized that ISUFST’s initiatives align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 14 (Life Below Water), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

For ISUFST, the symposium was more than an academic event—it was a reaffirmation of purpose.

“When we tell the stories of small fishers, artistically and scientifically,” said Lagon, “we’re also telling the story of our shared future.”

The PSSFNS2 took place at a crucial time as fisherfolk groups renewed calls for the passage of the “Atin ang Kinse Kilometro Bill” (House Bill 5606).

The measure seeks to restore small fishers’ exclusive rights to municipal waters—rights challenged by a recent court ruling in favor of commercial vessels.

From the shores of Banate to the lakes of Lanao, the message of PSSFNS2 was clear: small-scale fishers are too big to ignore. (PAMMCO)