UPV students address fisheries overexploitation in ASEAN DSE

Two UP Visayas students represented the university to the ASEAN Data Science Explorer National Finals with a project that offers solutions for fisheries overexploitation concerns.

Kyle Ann Villariza and Genesis Daquinan, third-year students taking up BA Political Science and BS in Fisheries, respectively, made up “Team Gugma” to the competition.

Their paper aimed to combat overexploitation in the fisheries sector by using data-driven technologies.

The technological solutions included data analysis and technologies such as food tracking using blockchain technology and Internet of Things (IOT), evidence-based policies, digital literacy programs, education reforms, and the cultivation of empathetic problem solving among leaders in the industry.

According to Daquinan, the team saw how overexploitation in the fishing industry affects many aspects of society, including food, shelter, jobs, and natural resources.

“Despite being the center of marine biodiversity, data from PSA shows that Filipino fisherfolks are among the poorest of the poor. So, with all this, how can we help them develop, safeguard, and ensure sustainability in the fisheries sector?” said Daquinan.

He further added that people must connect all the dots through holistic thinking because all problems are intersectional. Moreover, they proposed the recommendations to develop sustainability in the local fishing communities.

“We will start introducing this to the local government units that the coastal communities are under. Considering that there might be existing programs that the LGUs are doing to ensure support for local fisherfolk, we will simply integrate our recommendations to not only provide a comprehensive solution but to also ensure that solutions are products of collaborative decision-making,” he stated.

Villariza said solutions should always be scientific as well as compassionate. She mentioned that the paper they presented is expected to fuel mindful decision-making and better consciousness within the community.

The team won runner-up honors during the ASEAN DSE national finals which was streamed live via Facebook on Sept 2, 2020.

Ateneo de Manila University’s work on a Neural Community project also won the other runner-up prize.

The champions were from Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology (NEUST). Their project focused on Waste Management.

The ASEAN DSE, in partnership with SAP, which is a software solutions company, seeks to catalyze activism and critical thinking among university students in ASEAN.

Dr. Yang Mee Eng, the ASEAN Foundation’s Executive Director, said in an article from Astig.ph. that the event was proof of their commitment with SAP to invest in the youth and equip them with skills that will make them globally competitive and future-ready despite the challenging times.
(https://www.upv.edu.ph/index.php/news/two-upv-students-address-fisheries-overexploitation-in-asean-dse)