Photo taken by UP Mindanao PRO/Yas D. Ocampo
"Our Daily Fish" Fisheries in the Philippines - Past, Present, and Future
Written by Joey P. Cabasan
Uploaded on Feb. 24, 2023
The UP Mindanao Office of Research in partnership with the Coral Reef Resiliency and Ecology Studies (CRREST) Laboratory organized an afternoon of fruitful discussions on the historical records, status, and future directions of reef fish diversity in the Philippines. The discussions were led by renowned experts: Dr. Kent Carpenter of the Old Dominion University, Dr. Cleto L. Nañola Jr. of the University of the Philippines Mindanao, Dr. Richard Muallil of the Mindanao State University Tawi-Tawi, and Academician Dr. Mudjekeewis Santos of the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute.
The event was attended by students, partner institutions, and government agencies in Mindanao which are hoped to continue the efforts of acquiring new information and knowledge transfer in the region through collaborative research endeavors. As an initiative to this collaboration, we had a soft launching of the book — “Data Collection and Analyses for Reef Fish Biology” which was edited by our lab head Dr. Cleto L. Nañola Jr. and CRREST researcher Maybelle Fortaleza. The book will serve as an avenue to streamline protocols and methods on studying reef fish biology and to guide beginners in starting their own independent research.
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Marine Biodiversity Database (MABIDA) Website Soft Launched to Increase Marine Conservation Efforts
Davao City, Philippines - Bidang-Bida sa MABIDA, the soft launch ceremony of the Marine Biodiversity Database (MABIDA) Website, was conducted at the UP Mindanao Administration Building Lorenzo Hall on May 22, 2023. The event, organized by the Applied Biodiversity Research for Holistic Advancements in Mindanao (ABRAHAM) MABIDA Project in collaboration with the UP Mindanao Office of Research, coincided with the “Internal Day for Biological Diversity” and gathered distinguished in-person visitors and virtual attendees from various institutions and organizations. The MABIDA Website, accessible through the URL 'https://mabida.upmin.edu.ph', marks an important step forward in the protection and knowledge of marine biodiversity in Mindanao. The website features a large amount of data, including species profiles, habitat information, and environmental characteristics, which will be updated and enhanced on a regular basis by ABRAHAM Program FishDive Project members and collaborating partner institutions. The website envisions to provide a comprehensive and user-friendly resource for scientists, researchers, and policymakers to obtain essential data about marine ecosystems. The soft launch event witnessed a diverse array of participants, both physically present and joining virtually. Notable in-person attendees included Dr. Mari-Ann M. Acedera, the Director of DOST Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST PCAARRD) Marine Resources Research Division, and Mrs. Ma. Adela Corpuz, the Senior Science Research Specialist of DOST PCAARRD Marine Resources Research Division. Notable guests who joined virtually included Mr. Jaypee G. Trinidad of DOST-PCAARRD and faculty members from the Southern Philippines Agri-business and Marine and Aquatic School of Technology. The event also welcomed faculty members and researchers from partner Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), namely Davao del Norte State College, Davao Oriental State University, and Mindanao State University General Santos City. Representatives from UP Mindanao, including officials, staff, and students, were also present, thus underscoring the university's commitment to marine conservation and research. The extensive involvement and partnership of these institutions and DOST PCAARRD shall provide a solid foundation for future marine studies and initiatives. ABRAHAM FishDive Project Leader Dr. Cleto L. Nañola, Jr. introduced the audience to the ABRAHAM Program, the mother project of the FishDive Project and the MABIDA Project. Thereafter, ABRAHAM MABIDA Project Leader Leo Manuel B. Estaña, MSc gave a more thorough introduction of the MABIDA Project to help condition the audience as MABIDA Project Technical Specialists Geomarie Anne S. Paredes and Norjan Charls M. Cabanalan subsequently led a live demonstration to showcase the key features and functionalities of the MABIDA Website. Features showcased were the (1) Matching and Alignment, (2) Search Database, and (3) the MABIDA Website Interactive Map. The Matching and Alignment feature is intended to help with the taxonomic identification of samples supplied by website users. Meanwhile, the Search Database feature allows users to manually search and traverse the MABIDA Website's data repository of marine fisheries datasets supplied by partner HEIs and other collaborating agencies. Users can also use the MABIDA Website Interactive Map to see the numerous locations where the marine fishery datasets were collected. Future additions to this interactive map will include spatial overlay of various thematic maps relevant to marine science. Dr. Nañola urged the collaborating partner HEIs and agencies to polish and prepare the datasets that they will share and upload to the MABIDA Website, as these records will be used to improve the scientific community's ability to manage and protect the Mindanaon marine environment. In addition, Dr. Acedera of DOST PCAARRD stated that the MABIDA website will promote a more collaborative space for scientific cooperation in marine resource research and development, paving the way for more effective efforts to protect and understand the Philippine marine environment and resources. As the website becomes fully operational in the coming months, it is expected to attract a wider audience, including scientists, students, and marine enthusiasts alike.
FishDive Project Invited as Resource Persons in Monthly Fish Talk Organized by USM Kabacan
KABACAN, NORTH COTABATO - Dr. Cleto L. Nañola, Jr. and Ms. Maybelle A. Fortaleza of CRREST Laboratory served as the resource persons for the monthly seminar series organized by the University of Southern Mindanao Fisheries Society last 28 April 2023. Dr. Nañola discussed the importance of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the country as means of managing our coastal and marine resources, while Ms. Fortaleza presented what is currently known about the marine fish diversity in Davao Gulf. Both presentations include data from the research projects conducted by CRREST Laboratory in Mindanao, particularly in Davao Gulf. The seminar was attended by 150 BS Fisheries students and faculty members. We are grateful to the College of Agriculture Dean Dr. Julius Jerome Ele, Dr. Mary Joy Cañolas, Ma’am Leonila Papalid, and Sir Stephen Dave Dupo for the warm welcome and fruitful discussion in USM Kabacan. Both universities will also enter a Memorandum of Understanding focused on training and capacity building activities for the BS Fisheries faculty and students through the DOST-funded ABRAHAM: FishDive Project.
