The National Stock Assessment Program (NSAP) region 5 concluded its activities for the year with a two-day year-end review workshop held on December 4-5, 2025 at Lavilla Hall, Bicol University–Tabaco, Tabaco City.

The activity brought together personnel of NSAP Bicol to assess the program’s accomplishments for the year, review field experiences, and identify challenges and solutions aimed at strengthening data integrity and reliability. It also served as a platform to align strategies for sustained and improved fisheries data collection across the region.

The two-day workshop featured presentations on major fishing grounds, namely: Asid Gulf, San Miguel Bay, Burias Pass, Ticao Pass, Lagonoy Gulf, and Ragay Gulf, alongside updates on reproductive biology studies.

The presentations were evaluated by invited experts, including Erick Ballaran of the Fisheries Policy and Strategy Support Division (FPSSD); Socorro Jean Buarao, head of Training Unit Head; Rowena Briones, head of Fisheries Information and Quality Unit (FIQU); and Joelle Benavidez, chief of Regional Fisheries Training and Fisheries Communication Division (RFTFCD) and NSAP project leader.

Benavidez underscored the value of NSAP-generated data to academic institutions and other stakeholders in supporting the conservation and sustainable management of fish stocks across the region.

Stock status indicators such as catch trends, catch per unit effort, and top species were also emphasized during the discussions. The collaborative review of each fishing ground contributed significantly to addressing field-level challenges.

To provide clarity and address field-level concerns, including updates on ongoing data collection and reproductive biology sampling, an open forum for all coordinators and enumerators was conducted on the second day. Participants expressed optimism about the workshop’s outcomes, particularly its potential to further improve fisheries monitoring in the Bicol Region.

NSAP Bicol remains committed to its objectives and steadfast in its mission to address data gaps in stock assessment, sustain fisheries monitoring, and strengthen information dissemination.

NSAP is a flagship program of NFRDI that provides science for fisheries management. Conducted in collaboration with BFAR regional offices, NSAP continues to play a critical role in promoting sustainable practices and ensuring that scientific evidence remains central to regional fisheries policymaking ### (Carlos Gonzales and Noimie Rose Dicdiquin)

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