Industry leaders, experts, and students converged at the 7th International Conference on Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (ICFAS) to engage in discussions and gain new ideas and concepts on fisheries for the future.
The University of the Philippines (UP) Visayas, through the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (CFOS), welcomed speakers, participants, and guests from various local, national, and international institutions and agencies to the seventh iteration of the said conference.
This year’s ICFAS provided an avenue to discuss and present various topics on fisheries, including aquaculture technologies and health management; capture fisheries, marine ecosystem and environmental issues; post-harvest fisheries, food safety, quality and security; emerging technologies in fisheries and aquatic sciences; socio-cultural, economic, political and gender perspective in fisheries; and fisheries management and governance.
Records from the organizing committee showed that a total of 185 presentations were discussed and presented on Oct. 18 and 19 at the Grand Xing Imperial Hotel in Iloilo City. Of the number, 116 were oral presentations and 69 were poster presentations.
There were 371 participants during the conference, the committee further disclosed.
Meanwhile, the three keynote speakers provided messages on the importance of fisheries initiatives and the conduct of the conference.
The 7th ICFAS featured messages from Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda; Assistant Director for Technical Services Isidro Velayo, Jr. of the Department of Agriculture (DA) – Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), who represented Director Demosthenes Escoto; and Dr. Lionel Dabaddie, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Representative in the Philippines.
Delivered by Chancellor Clement Camposano on behalf of the Senator, Legarda’s message made mention of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which jeopardizes the health of oceans and undermines the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on fishing for their sustenance and economic well-being.
According to Legarda, IUU fishing requires a comprehensive and collaborative approach.
“International law, policy, and on-the-ground enforcement need to align, while market forces and import restrictions ensure efficiency,” she said.
Legarda also mentioned the two bills she filed – the Philippine Ecosystem and Natural Accounting System (PENCAS) and the Blue Economy – to find out what the country stands to lose considering the damage and ecological disruptions caused by occurrences of IUU fishing.
PENCAS aims to integrate environmental inputs and outputs into national income accounts, accurately reflecting the country’s development and economic performance; while the Blue Economy bill seeks to support efforts in achieving a vibrant and sustainable economy by prioritizing the country's marine resources.
Velayo, meanwhile, talked about several initiatives of the fisheries bureau, particularly the Catch Documentation and Traceability System; Monitoring Control and Surveillance; Philippine IUU Fishing Index; and Oplan Asin, among others.
These initiatives were developed and carried out in collaboration with local government units and national government agencies along with their attached agencies to “underscore our commitment to a sustainable and prosperous fisheries sector.”
The initiatives address IUU fishing and help sustain the country’s top commodities such as seaweed, tilapia, milkfish, and shellfish.
For his part, Dabaddie told the attendees that the future of the Philippine fisheries and aquaculture sector “is at a pivotal juncture and your expertise and dedication are needed more than ever.”
He said that the conference provides an avenue to discuss emerging technologies, studies on marine and aquatic resources, and lessons learned from the past “to scale up innovation and guide forward-looking policies and technologies for sustainable fisheries.”
He commended CFOS and the organizers of the 7th ICFAS for choosing the theme, “Fisheries for the Future.” Prof. Encarnacion Emilia Yap, CFOS Dean, is the Overall Chair of ICFAS 2023.
