As the Centre of Excellence in Fisheries Education, the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, through the Institute of Aquaculture (CFOS-IA), shared its expertise with the faculty members of different colleges and universities offering fisheries courses in the country.
The CFOS-IA conducted three-week training for ten educators from five higher education institutions. The training, which is part of the institute’s extension program known as Training of Educators in Aquatic Mainstream Science (TEAMS), was held last July 11-29, 2022, at the UPV Miagao campus.
The participants were from the President Ramon Magsaysay State University (3) in Zambales, Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology (2), Mindanao State University –Maguindanao (2), Mariano Marcos State University-Casat in Ilocos Norte (1), and Capiz State University (2) from the Province of Capiz.
TEAMS is one of IA’s extension programs that aims to help strengthen the research and instruction capabilities of academic institutions that offer fisheries and allied courses. The initiative is part of the institute’s commitment as a partner institution to develop the necessary skills and knowledge of the participants in the field of molecular biology and biotechnology, aquaculture, and fisheries through the conduct of trainings, seminars, and workshops.
During the duration of the training, the faculty members underwent hands-on training on fish DNA barcoding, fish and shrimp blood sampling, microbial techniques, bacterial and viral pathogen detection, and fish curatorial procedure. These were in collaboration with the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (NIMBB) and the UPV Museum of Natural Sciences (UPV-MNS).
The participants also attended lectures on topics related to aquaculture conducted by the faculty members and REPS of IA. These lectures were about the Significance of Aquaculture in the Philippines by Mr. Fredson Huervana, Parasitic Diseases of Farmed Fish and Crustaceans by Ms. Rowena Cadiz, Bacterial and Viral Diseases of Farmed Fish and Crustaceans and Molecular Detection of Pathogens by Asst. Prof. Carmelo del Castillo.
They likewise enhanced their knowledge of Histological Techniques from Asst. Prof. Sanny Lumayno, Immunostimulant and Probiotics in Aquaculture Disease Management from IA director Prof. Rex Ferdinand Traifalgar, Application of Molecular Methods in Microalgal Research from Assoc. Prof. Victor Marco Emmanuel Ferriols, and Macroalgal Diseases from Asst. Prof. Iris Ann Borlongan.
Personnel of the UPV-MNS facilitated the conduct of fish curatorial procedures. Asst. Prof. Dominique Mediodia, one of the coordinators of UPV-MNS, gave lectures and provided hands-on activities on the fish collection, pre-transportation, preservation and transportation. He also discussed topics on the introduction to photo documentation and identification of species. Mr. Leonardo Mooc facilitated the hands-on training on fish taxidermy.
Ms. Soledad Garibay of UPV-MNS introduced the different species in the museum and the mobile museum boxes that are being exhibited in the lobby of the University library.
Meanwhile, four (4) faculty members of San Joaquin School of Fisheries, San Joaquin, Iloilo, underwent similar training last April 27 -29, 2022. The three-day activity was held at CFOS, UPV Miagao campus. (With sources from Ms. Rowena Cadiz of IA)
