The Department of Agriculture – National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (DA-NFRDI) spearheaded the development of a regional fish guidebook during the “NSAP XII Fish Guide Workshop” held on June 10-13, 2025, in General Santos City.

Nicko Amor Flores and Stephen Karol Riñon from the National Stock Assessment Program Project Management Office (NSAP PMO) of DA-NFRDI served as resource speakers, guiding participants through a collaborative effort to produce a comprehensive fish guidebook. The guide aims to enhance species identification and improve the accuracy of fisheries data across region 12.

Flores provided an overview of developing user-friendly identification guides, emphasizing appropriate formats and key design considerations. Riñon followed with a hands-on session using Canva, where participants were trained to create sample fish guide pages, applying the concepts discussed.

In his welcome remarks, BFAR 12 Assistant Regional Director Omar Sabal highlighted the critical role of NSAP in generating essential fisheries data, stressing its direct impact on effective fisheries management and conservation initiatives in the region. NSAP 12 Project Leader Maria Angelica Cecilio also presented the workshop’s objectives, addressing common field challenges and introducing strategies to improve data collection practices.

The workshop also included a review of NSAP data reports from 17 fish landing sites across region 12, offering insights into current data collection efforts. It concluded with a showcase of sample fish guides created using Canva by groups representing Sarangani Bay, General Santos Fish Port, and Moro Gulf, demonstrating practical applications of the training and diverse approaches to species identification.

This joint initiative by DA-NFRDI and NSAP region 12 marks a significant step toward strengthening accuracy and efficiency, ultimately contributing to more science-based and sustainable fisheries management in the region. ### (Stephen Karol Riñon)