DA-BFAR Caraga conducts I-FIT workshop assessment in Agusan del Norte

To assess prevalence, vulnerability and responses to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the province of Agusan del Norte, the Department of Agriculture - Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) Caraga conducted a four-day Coastal Municipality Assessment Workshop using Philippine IUU Fishing Index and Threat Assessment Tool (I-FIT) among the local government units held from July 28-30, 2021 at the Regional Fisherfolk Training Center in Masao, Butuan City.

In his message, BFAR Caraga OIC Regional Director Dr. Nilo Selim Katada encouraged the local government units to take advantage of the tool to formulate programs or initiatives that would effectively prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing activities in their respective areas of jurisdiction.

The said I-FIT tool was developed and designed by Fish Right Program and DA-BFAR in efforts to reduce and eliminate IUU fishing in the country using a science and knowledge based approach. Using the tool will enable law enforcers to come up with standardized and comparable tracking of progress in a given area and the entire country in reducing IUU fishing over time.

The workshop assessment convened municipal agriculturists, agricultural technologists for Fisheries, municipal environment and natural resource officers, FARMC chairpersons, and representatives from the bantay dagat group and fisherfolk organizations and from the Philippine National Police from the eight (8) coastal municipalities in Agusan del Norte.

Source: DA-BFAR Caraga FPLEG