QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES — 15 July 2026 — The Philippine government, through the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the British Embassy Manila are set to host the Seafood and Fisheries Emerging Technologies (SAFET) Conference 2026, on September 8 to 10, 2026, in Cebu.

Through this event, the UK is partnering with the Philippines and across the Indo-Pacific to progress sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, responsible seafood sourcing, blue finance linked to marine protected areas, and emerging opportunities from marine energy. The UK Government will also be represented by world leading expertise from the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) and Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS).

With the theme, “From Innovation to Implementation: Powering Responsible Fisheries, Markets, and Livelihoods,” SAFET 2026 will bring together fisheries authorities, seafood industry leaders, technology developers, researchers, development organizations, policymakers, government agencies, small-scale fisheries representatives, and coastal communities from around the world.

“SAFET 2026 reflects the Philippines’ commitment to building a modern fisheries sector where technology directly benefits both people and the environment. Through collaboration with global partners, we aim to accelerate practical innovations that strengthen fisheries governance, improve seafood traceability, conserve marine resources, and create better opportunities for our fisherfolk and coastal communities. We welcome our partners from around the world to join us in Cebu as we work together to turn innovation into meaningful action,” said BFAR National Director Elizer S. Salilig.

Designed to turn these concepts into action, the conference focuses on building deep global collaboration and aligning pathways toward implementation. By socializing current government and market initiatives, the event highlights exactly how emerging tools can empower stakeholders to meet complex compliance measures. Attendees will engage directly with cutting-edge, applied solutions tackling the most pressing challenges in seafood supply chains, while technology developers seize the opportunity

to showcase innovations ready for global scale. Ultimately, participants will actively contribute to the ongoing dialogue, building lasting partnerships that advance practical, inclusive, and effective technology approaches long after the event concludes.

By bringing together global expertise and local experience, SAFET 2026 aims to strengthen international partnerships, encourage the wider adoption of practical technologies, and transform innovation into measurable outcomes that support responsible fisheries, resilient markets, sustainable livelihoods, and thriving coastal communities.

“We cannot solve the complex challenges facing our oceans in silos,” said Inga Wise, Executive Director of SAFET. “The SAFET Conference is a unique convergence point where market-driven technology meets government initiative. By bringing global tech innovators to the table alongside fisheries authorities, we are fostering the exact partnerships needed to build transparent, resilient seafood supply chains and secure thriving coastal livelihoods for the future,” she added.

Moving beyond innovation: the digital fisheries agenda for BFAR and the Philippines

For BFAR, co-hosting SAFET 2026 reinforces the Philippines’ growing role in advancing digital transformation and science-based fisheries management.

“The challenges facing global fisheries require stronger partnerships and smarter solutions. SAFET 2026 provides a unique platform where governments, scientists, technology innovators, industry leaders, and fishing communities can work together to transform promising technologies into practical actions that strengthen fisheries governance, improve market access, protect marine resources, and uplift livelihoods. We are proud that the Philippines is hosting this important global conversation and invite everyone to join us in shaping the future of sustainable fisheries,” said Philippine Agriculture Undersecretary for Fisheries Drusila Esther E. Bayate.

As fisheries continue to face the impacts of climate change, illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, resource depletion, and increasing market requirements, the Philippine government, through the BFAR, continues to invest in technologies that improve transparency, accountability, efficiency, and evidence-based decision-making across the fisheries sector.

Deploying applied tech: from traceability to real-time monitoring

Among these technologies is the Electronic Catch Documentation and Traceability System (eCDTS), which strengthens end-to-end seafood traceability and supports compliance with international trade standards. Complementing this system are the Fisheries Geospatial Information System (FGIS) and the Fisheries Integrated Geospatial

Information System, which enhances resource inventory, spatial planning, and decision support through integrated geospatial data.

The fisheries bureau has likewise strengthened digital governance through systems such as the Municipal Fisherfolk Registration System (FishR), Boat Registration System (BoatR), and the Fishing Vessel Electronic Licensing Information System (FELIS), which improve fisherfolk registration, vessel registration, licensing, and regulatory efficiency. Supporting fisheries law enforcement is the IUU Fishing Index and Threat Assessment Tool (I-FIT), which provides analytics to strengthen monitoring and regulatory compliance.

To further enhance monitoring, control, and surveillance, BFAR continues to deploy its Fisheries Integrated Information Management Center – Vessel Monitoring System (FIIMC-VMS), enabling the real-time tracking of commercial fishing vessels to support enforcement efforts against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.

Embracing the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Building on these initiatives, BFAR also advances its digital transformation agenda by integrating Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies into fisheries management. These include artificial intelligence, machine learning, drones equipped with multispectral sensors, advanced data analytics, Internet of Things (IoT) applications, electronic monitoring systems, satellite observation, remote sensing technologies, and digital fisheries data platforms.

By showcasing these technologies alongside global innovations, BFAR demonstrates that the Philippines is not only adopting emerging fisheries technologies but is also actively contributing to their development, application, and scaling.

As co-hosts, BFAR and British Embassy Manila aim to facilitate dialogue, sharing expertise and lessons learnt and increasing partnerships among governments, industry, technology providers, development organizations, and fishing communities to accelerate the adoption of practical solutions that promote sustainable fisheries and

inclusive growth. BFAR sees SAFET 2026 as an opportunity to demonstrate the Philippines’ growing leadership in digital transformation and science-based fisheries management while contributing to the global dialogue on sustainable fisheries. The conference also reflects the BFAR’s commitment to strengthening collaboration among governments, industry, researchers, technology providers, and fishing communities in addressing the evolving challenges facing the fisheries sector.