The Department of Agriculture–National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (DA-NFRDI), through the West Pacific East Asia–Sustainable Pacific Fisheries (WPEA-SPF) project, joined the “WPEA Data Gaps Workshop” in Sydney from March 2–6, 2026, to address gaps in tuna fisheries data reporting.

Represented by Suzette Barcoma, national coordinator of WPEA-SPF Philippines, the workshop focused on strengthening and harmonizing scientific data submissions to the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), particularly in the reporting of aggregate catch and fishing effort data using the Commission’s newly adopted standardized templates.

“The WPEA Project started as a data improvement project, and it has steadfastly remained so until now. In WPEA-SPF Philippines, the project continues to address these data gaps not only to fulfill its longstanding commitment to the WCPFC but, more importantly, to generate high-quality data for tuna fisheries assessment and management in the country,” said Barcoma.

The five-day workshop, which was also attended by other WPEA project member-countries including Indonesia and Vietnam, covered key topics aimed at improving tuna fisheries data reporting among participating countries. Discussions included the data requirements and scientific processes of the WCPFC, as well as national presentations on current spatial data practices.

Participants also worked on organizing catch and fishing effort data using the Commission’s new reporting templates, reviewed logbook and fish size data submission formats, and explored ways to improve data quality, interpretation, and documentation of reporting procedures.

Joining Barcoma as part of the Philippine delegation were Philippine Fisheries Observer Programme National Coordinator Marlo Demo-os, BFAR-Commercial and Distant Water Fishing Section Chief Isidro Tanangonan, NSAP 11 Project Leader Rose Antoneth Loquere, NSAP 7 Project Leader Joanne Garcia, and Medel Ian Lipio of BFAR 12-Fisheries Inspection and Quarantine Unit- Catch Certification.

During the workshop, the Philippine delegation primarily worked on the country’s aggregate catch and effort data in line with the Commission’s updated reporting requirements. These discussions were particularly relevant to WPEA landing sites in regions 11 and 7, which ranked second and fourth, respectively, among the country’s top tuna-producing areas.

Moving forward, Dr. Tiffany Vidal, principal fisheries scientist (data management), and Peter Williams, principal fisheries specialist/consultant from the Pacific Community—one of the key organizers of the Data Gaps Workshop—shared that the preparation of annual data audits, usually conducted during catch estimates workshops to review fisheries data from the previous year, may eventually be transitioned to national programs as part of the project’s exit strategy. ### (Mar Jhun Daniel)