The Department of Agriculture-National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (DA-NFRDI) launched a handbook, 3 training modules, and 16 posters on the occasion of its 4th-anniversary celebration held during the opening program on February 20, 2023.

First was the “NFRDI Employee Handbook,” which serves as a blueprint for the policies and procedures of the Institute, providing guidance to employees to effectively perform duties in the name of public service. Outlined in the handbook are the organization’s profile, terms of employment, compensation and benefits, welfare services and facilities, awards and incentives, ways forward, and office policies.

“We hope that through this handbook, employees are guided and informed and likewise, for the management to increase staff understanding, leading to a more efficient and effective research institute,” said Ian Carlos Azares, chief of the Human Resource Management Section of NFRDI’s Finance and Administrative Division.

Second, three training modules on 1) Sandfish Processing into Beche-de-Mer, 2) Maliputo Breeding and Seed Production, and 3) Freshwater Ornamental Fish Breeding and Production. The modules, which use a mix of lecture-discussion and practical exercises, feature technologies developed by NFRDI, and provide comprehensive and updated materials that trainers can use as effective training guides.

“These modules function as valuable references for stakeholders and technology adopters, including government employees, teachers, and leaders of associations and cooperatives who wish to gain knowledge on these technologies,” said Dr. Mudjekeewis Santos, scientist IV and chief of NFRDI’s Training Division.

Also launched were 16 posters including 8 protected and 8 regulated aquatic species in the Philippines. The protected species included: dolphins, sharks, clams, shells, coconut crabs, seahorses, Napoleon wrasses, whales, and corals; while the regulated species were: brown seaweeds, elvers, sabalo, lobsters, pufferfishes, mangrove crabs, seagrasses, and sea cucumbers.

The production of posters is part of the NFRDI project titled, “Preparation and Printing of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) Materials for Fisheries,” implemented in partnership with the DA-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the Marine Wildlife Watch-Philippines (MWWP).

“The posters are crucial in disseminating information on protected and regulated species in the country, assisting law enforcement officials, fisherfolk, and stakeholders in identifying and preserving aquatic species in their local areas that require conservation and protection,” said Dr. Santos, project leader.

Atty. Demosthenes Escoto, BFAR national director, in his message, expressed his support for NFRDI encouraging everyone to take advantage of the new technology we have and the resources provided by the government. “BFAR will always be in partnership with NFRDI in this kind of important endeavor,” he said. ### (Rita dela Cruz)