General Santos City, August 14, 2023 – Today marked the start of a 5-day workshop on the salient features of the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA) held in General Santos City. This intensive training aims to augment the skills and knowledge of regulatory officers from the Central Office, Regions 3, 11, 12, and the National Capital Region of the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR).

In his opening message, Regional Director Usop D. Pendaliday, Jr. emphasized the vital role of knowledge sharing and cooperation in the realm of sustainable fisheries management. “This workshop is a substantial leap toward safeguarding our marine resources and advancing responsible fishing practices,” noted RD Pendaliday.

This collaborative initiative among DA- BFAR, United States-National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (US-NOAA), and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)- FishRight focuses on enhancing the implementation of the PSMA, a pivotal international instrument in curbing illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Within this training framework, a team from the US-NOAA, led by Dr. Katheryn Patterson, is engaged as resource persons and trainers.

Patterson provided an extensive overview of the workshop’s goals and the essential role that PSMA plays in upholding global fishery resource sustainability.

The highlights of the day include a conference meeting between the US-NOAA Team and General Santos Fish Port Complex (GSFPC), spearheaded by Port Manager Paris Uldarico Y. Ayon, and a walkthrough at the markets and wharves of the GSFPC. The activity offered the US-NOAA team valuable insights on Fish Port operations which served as a foundational element for the development of PSMA tools and manuals.

Furthermore, a meeting was also held between the US-NOAA Team and member agencies of the PSMA One-Stop-Action-Center (OSAC) to facilitate the exchange of experiences and lessons learned from PSMA held implementation. This session involved representatives from DA-BFAR, the Bureau of Customs, the Bureau of Plant Industry, the Bureau of Animal Industry, the Philippine Coastguard, and the Bureau of Quarantine.

The other part of the activity was a comprehensive presentation of relevant topics to strengthen PSMA implementation.

The four remaining days will allow participants to undergo training on foreign fishing vessel evaluation before boarding, boarding and inspection techniques, and other skills essential for inspection officers.