The U.S. and Philippine governments launched on Wednesday, September 2, a workshop attended by 135 participants to measure and understand the negative impacts of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the country. Supported by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Fish Right program, experts from the University of the Philippines School of Statistics facilitated the online workshop on September 2-3, bringing together various sectors to increase understanding on IUU fishing at a national level. “This exercise is a critical first step to understanding the complex global threat that IUU fishing represents to ocean health and maritime security,” stated U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission John Law during the opening session of the workshop.

BFAR, USAID host workshop to battle illegal fishing. (2020, September 4). Daily Guardian, p. 10.