DA-BFAR 6, USAID Fish Right Program Strengthen Compliance Communication on Legal Mesh-Size Fishing Gears
| by Jerian Figueroa
|ย September 19, 2024
DA-BFAR 6, USAID Fish Right Program Strengthen Compliance Communication on Legal Mesh-Size Fishing Gears
| by Jerian Figueroa
|ย September 19, 2024
To reinforce compliance with sustainable fishing practices, DA-BFAR 6, in collaboration with the USAID Fish Right Program, organized a three-day Communication Design Workshop from August 13 to 15, 2024, at Damires Hills Resort. This initiative was part of an ongoing campaign to promote the use of legal mesh-size fishing gears and the sustainable harvesting of Blue Swimming Crabs and pelagic fish species, aimed at supporting efforts to end Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing.ย
The workshop served as a platform for refining communication strategies to facilitate the rollout of regulations against fine-mesh nets. It ensured that key messages resonate with a variety of stakeholders, including local communities, fisheries management entities, and government decision-makers.ย
One of the significant achievements of the workshop was the development of engaging TikTok-format videos and social media cards that will be utilized across platforms to highlight the importance of using legal mesh sizes and protecting juvenile or young fish species. These visual tools are designed to captivate the attention of diverse audiences, particularly the youth and fishers, helping to spread awareness of the issue in an accessible way.ย
A comprehensive policy brief was also drafted, addressing the use of fine-meshed nets and designed to be presented to local and national decision-makers to encourage stronger regulatory actions and support for sustainable fishing.ย
To further aid in the enforcement of these regulations, participants developed a standardized PowerPoint presentation template intended for use by local government units (LGUs). This template will help in rolling out harvest strategies and integrating sustainable practices at the community level. The consistent messaging across these platforms aims to streamline enforcement and increase public understanding of the importance of these regulations.ย
It is also worth noting that Fisheries Management Area (FMA) 11 has been at the forefront of these efforts. The FMA 11 Management Board adopted a harvest strategy on fine-mesh nets during their regular meeting on March 26, 2024. With this communication workshop, FMA 11 has become a pioneer in popularizing harvest strategies, being the first to dedicate a workshop specifically aimed at broadening the reach of these initiatives through various communication platforms.ย