DA-BFAR will partner with PaNaGaT Network to continue their collaborations for the benefit of West Philippine Sea stakeholders, towards building the fisheries management capacities of local government units and Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management Councils (FARMCs) especially in the introduction of modern technologies.

Through the funding support of the DA-BFAR and the Rosa-Luxemburg Stiftung (RLS), the PaNaGaT Network and their partners conducted initial introductory trainings on municipal catch documentation and traceability system (MCDTS) and vessel monitoring mechanism (VMM) for local fisheries managers. The trainings included an introduction to these standards and the benefits of implementing these for the conservation of fishery resources, as well as good practices in using these technologies. To identify the types of assistance needed by LGUs, a technology readiness assessment (TRA) was also conducted in select coastal communities. The top site for VMM implementation is Pandan, Antique, which scored 45%, while the top site for MCDTS is Libertad, Antique, which scored 75%. Based on the results of the TRA, further improvements shall be made in the capacity building of LGUs to prepare for the implementation of these activities.

In view of the partnerships between the stakeholders, more collaborations shall be rolled out in order to identify the next steps.