UPV and TBTI Philippines join OFWG 01 2022 Workshop

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Prof. Alice Joan G. Ferrer, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, University of the Philippines Visayas, was invited to join the Ocean and Fisheries Working Group (OFWG) 01 2022 Workshop organized by the Department of Fisheries of Thailand last 31 January – 02 February 2024 at Jasmine City Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand.

The main goal of the three-day workshop titled “Sharing Knowledge and Experiences on Small-Scale Marine Fisheries Data Collection and Management for Sustainable Development in the APEC Region” is to improve data and the data collection system about small-scale fisheries (SSF) in the APEC Economies to expand the understanding of their value and contribution to food and nutrition security and economic development.

This knowledge will be used to help strengthen fisheries management, making it possible to achieve sustainable development goals.

Expert consultants facilitated the discussion about the best practices for SSF marine fisheries data collection and management. The three-day workshop included several sessions with varying dynamics such as presentations by the resource persons and by APEC Economies expert participants, breakout groups, and plenary discussion.

Vice Chancellor Ferrer included in her 15-minute presentation the overview of the marine capture SSF in the Philippines, their values and importance, how they are managed and governed, and some of the major concerns/ problems the sector faces.

Along with Vice Chancellor Ferrer is Dir. Remia A. Aparri, Regional Director, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Regional Field Office VI, as representatives of the Philippines in the workshop.

They were joined by representatives from 10 APEC Economies that include Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, the People’s Republic of China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, and Vietnam. Dr. Ratana Chuenpagdee of TBTI Global and Memorial University in Newfoundland, Canada served as the main facilitator of the workshop.

Vice Chancellor Ferrer is also the Executive Director of the National Consortium for the Small-Scale Fisheries Research and Development, aka Too-Big-To-Ignore (TBTI) Philippines, a research network and knowledge mobilization partnership established in 2022 that focuses on addressing issues and concerns affecting the viability and sustainability of small-scale fisheries in the country.

TBTI Philippines is based at the University of the Philippines Visayas, the founding organization, and currently has 42 member-organizations (as of 01 February 2024), which are state colleges and universities in the country. (Ms. Pearl Aljean Santacera with sources from TBTI Philippines)