MAKATI, Philippines – On November 11, WWF-Philippines presented a Special Award to Partido State University (ParSU) in recognition of its exceptional contributions to sustainable fisheries through its collaboration with the Sustainable Tuna Partnership program.
“We are deeply grateful to WWF for being a reliable and committed partner in supporting our efforts to promote sustainable fisheries and build resilient fishing communities,” said Dr. Raul Bradecina. Dr. Bradecina accepted the award on behalf of Partido State University, which was honored for the expertise and commitment of its faculty in developing a cost-benefit analysis of fisheries registration, licensing, and catch monitoring compliance, as well as the CATCHFISH system—Collaborative Access to Tracking Community Handling of Fisheries Information, Science, and Harvest.
The said cost-benefit analysis has helped improve fisheries governance in Lagonoy Gulf and in Mindoro Strait. Meanwhile, set to be implemented across 21 municipalities in Occidental Mindoro and the Bicol region, the system is expected to streamline fisheries data management, bringing improved organization and accuracy to the way municipalities handle vital fisheries information.
“Basically, CATCHFISH is a database system designed to assist our LGUs in recording their fisherfolk and other related fisheries information at the municipal level,” explained Study 1 Team Leader Nicolas Pura.
CATCHFISH addresses the challenge of data storage by replacing handwritten notes with a digital database, enabling fishers and local officials to input information directly and in real-time. This system streamlines data retrieval and analysis, providing stakeholders with immediate access to records that support more efficient decision-making in fisheries management.
Pura went on to emphasize the crucial role of partnerships between organizations and academic institutions in advancing sustainable initiatives. “The academe is technically equipped and ready, but our efforts are often limited by funding constraints,” he explained. “That’s why collaboration with academic institutions and other organizations is essential to overcoming these challenges”.
The launch of CATCHFISH is scheduled for the second week of December, alongside ongoing efforts to formalize its integration into LGU processes through the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement, solidifying its role in organizing fisheries management.
