The Department of Agriculture – National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (DA-NFRDI) technical guidance during the “Orientation-Workshop on the Aqua-Industrial Business Corridor (ABC) and Aqua Business Technology Incubator (ABTI) Guidelines” held from March 31 to April 4, 2025, in Tagbilaran City, Bohol.

Organized by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) under the Philippine Fisheries and Coastal Resiliency (FISHCORE) project, the activity aimed to guide Regional Project Implementing Units (RPIUs) and FMA Coordinating Units (FCUs) in FMAs 6 and 9 on establishing and operationalizing ABC and ABTI Centers.

BFAR 7 Director Mario Ruinata opened the workshop by emphasizing the importance of regional alignment in ensuring the success of the program. This set the tone for the sessions that followed, beginning with FISHCORE National Project Monitoring Office (NPMO) Component 2 Lead Elymi AR-J Tuñacao’s introduction of the ABC framework highlighting its regional “hub-and-spokes” approach to strengthen aquaculture and fisheries value chains.

Dr. Joseph Christopher Rayos, NFRDI MARLIN 2.2 focal, then presented the draft ABTI Operations Manual. He discussed the integration of the NFRDI ABS-TBI program with FISHCORE ABTI Centers, underscoring the importance of operational alignment, legal compliance, and sustainability.

NFRDI staff also presented tools for implementation. Niko Macaraeg outlined the Terms of Reference for Technical Assistance, focusing on business development, capacity building, and monitoring systems. Cathleen Dela Cruz introduced a standardized project proposal template for ABTI Centers, ensuring alignment with FISHCORE Matching Grants Program (FMGP) funding criteria and clear beneficiary graduation pathways.

Throughout the workshop, RPIUs and FCUs provided updates on value chain mapping and ABTI site assessments. A project scoping visit to the BFAR Multi-Species Hatchery in Ubay also helped identify potential risks for ABTI implementation.

In her closing message, NFRDI Executive Director Lilian Garcia emphasized the importance of scientific grounding and strong collaboration across agencies. Her message was reinforced by FISHCORE Project Manager Angel Encarnacion, who highlighted the shared responsibility of the NPMO, BFAR, RPIUs, FCUs, and NFRDI in driving sustainable aquaculture forward. ### (Maria Gabrielle Cordero)