The University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) brought together international scientists, local researchers, government agencies, students, and coastal stakeholders through two installments of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Data Analytics (FishAquaDx) Program’s International Lecture Series 2026, focusing on sustainable shellfish aquaculture and harmful algal blooms (HABs).
Held in partnership with UPV’s College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, Institute of Aquaculture, Institute of Marine Fisheries and Oceanology, Philippine Genome Center Visayas, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Region 6, the University of Rhode Island, and the University of Reading, the events linked global scientific expertise with local coastal concerns.
The first installment, “Beyond the Shell: The Science, History, and Future of Shellfish Aquaculture,” was held on August 12. Dr. Michael Rice of the University of Rhode Island discussed the evolution of shellfish aquaculture and its growing role in food security, livelihoods, water-quality improvement, carbon sequestration, and coastal habitat restoration.
Rice also highlighted challenges facing the industry, including rising ocean temperatures, ocean acidification, changing disease patterns, market pressures, and governance concerns. He stressed that sustainable development requires stronger scientific cooperation, knowledge-sharing, and policies that include small-scale fishers and coastal communities.
Dr. Rice has devoted his career to studying the environmental physiology and ecology of bivalve molluscs, and his research has helped shape shellfish resource management in coastal communities across the world. He’s a three-time Fulbright scholar, with two of those grants bringing him to the Philippines (1996–1997 and 2006), and has also worked alongside Communities in Tanzania, Indonesia, and other countries. Most recently, he hosted UPV’s Dr. Mary Grace C. Sedanza as a Fulbright Visiting Scholar and Adjunct Faculty at his department from April to July 2026.
The second installment, a Symposium-Workshop on Harmful Algal Bloom Research, Analytics, and Shellfish Management, held August 27, focused on HABs, commonly known as “red tides.” These events can lead to shellfish harvest bans, threaten public health, and disrupt coastal livelihoods.
Nine experts presented research covering satellite-based HAB monitoring, remote sensing, drone technology, genetic analysis, ecosystem modelling, shellfish distribution, and trophic ecology. The presentations featured outputs from the Environmental Genetic Analysis of Shellfish and Digitization of Harmful Algal Bloom Patterns in Western Visayas (EGAHABS) project and the UPV-TIEZA Blue Science and Stewardship for a Sustainable Boracay project.
Among the featured international speakers were Dr. Shovonlal Roy and Jennifer Weaver from the University of Reading, UK. Dr. Roy delivered a talk on “Monitoring and understanding algal blooms using advanced satellite observation and modelling”. Meanwhile, Ms. Weaver, representing both the University of Reading and the EGAHABS Project, presented “Remote Sensing Application: A Case Study of HABs in the Coastal Regions of Panay Island,” showcasing how remote sensing tools are applied to map and analyze localized bloom patterns across Western Visayas.
Prof. Roy has been a Visiting Professor at the University of the Philippines Visayas since 2025 and has collaborated closely with CFOS on research into harmful algal blooms and plankton dynamics in the Visayas. His work here is supported by the UP Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs Visiting Professor Program Fund Grant for AY 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 and by the BFAR Region Regional Office 6 – EGAHABs project.
UPV Chancellor Clement Camposano underscored the University’s role in producing science that is collaborative, community-anchored, and translated into solutions for communities.
The afternoon workshop shifted from scientific presentations to stakeholder-driven planning. Participants identified operational challenges in HAB monitoring and shellfish management, assessed actionable research outputs, prioritized future research needs, and explored potential partners for a regional HAB early warning system.
Among the major concerns identified were gaps in long-term data, inconsistent sampling protocols, and limited reference materials for species identification. Participants also called for improved data integration, advanced monitoring technologies, and stronger community and institutional partnerships.
FishAquaDx Head Dr. Cherry P. Añasco closed the symposium, thanking the speakers, partners, and participants for their contributions.
Across both events, the lecture series strengthened links between international science and local coastal realities while bringing together researchers, practitioners, and communities around shared challenges. The initiative reinforced UP Visayas’ commitment to collaborative research aimed at improving shellfish safety, aquaculture sustainability, HAB preparedness, and coastal resilience.
Written by Julius I Lacsamana, Gency L. Guirhem-Helican, and Mary Grace Sedanza
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