The governments of the United States and the Philippines on Wednesday kicked off with a two-day workshop aimed to measure and understand the negative impacts of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the country.
Attended by 135 participants, the workshop is supported by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Fish Right program.
Experts from the University of the Philippines School of Statistics facilitated the online workshop on September 2-3, bringing together various sectors to increase understanding of IUU fishing at a national level.
During the opening session, U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission John Law described the workshop as a critical first step to understanding the complex global threat that IUU fishing represents to ocean health and maritime security.
“I commend the Philippine government as it continues to ramp up its efforts against IUU fishing through investment in multi-stakeholder and inter-agency actions,” said Law.
Agriculture Undersecretary for Fisheries and BFAR National Director Eduardo Gongona emphasized that “as we cope and recover from this pandemic, we need to ensure the country’s food security, while at the same time consider its natural capital – the fish stocks and their habitats.
“This is the bluer normal we want to achieve towards the vision of a food-secured and resilient Philippines with prosperous farmers and fishers. We cannot afford to lose our fish to IUU fishing,” Gongona said.
IUU fishing is a far-reaching and complex issue that threatens ocean health and maritime security of nations. While it is believed to be widespread in the Philippines, its magnitude, prevalence, and impacts are yet to be accurately quantified.
The workshop will bolster the Philippine government’s efforts to reduce IUU fishing in the country.
The BFAR and USAID will collaborate in developing an IUU Fishing Index and Threat Assessment Tool that local governments can use to produce a more standard metric of IUU fishing throughout the country. This would also help in quantifying the losses to harmful fishing practices and enable fisheries managers to use the best available data to inform fishery policies.
The USAID-led efforts demonstrate the long-term partnership and joint strategic vision of the U.S. and Philippine governments to combat IUU fishing and enhance the well-being of millions of Filipinos who depend on fisheries for food and livelihoods.
The USAID Fish Right Program is a five-year program being implemented in the Philippines by the University of Rhode Island in partnership with a consortium of Philippine universities and non-government organizations.
It aims to address biodiversity threats, improve marine ecosystem governance, and increase fish biomass in three marine key biodiversity areas (MKBAs): Calamianes Island Group, South Negros, and Visayan Sea.