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Wedgefish Watch Philippines

Wedgefish Watch Philippines Coordination Meeting


Inception Meeting
 

 
Trainings

Have you seen me?
 
Wedgefish Watch PH is calling for help as we gather more information on the species, including fishery and trade information. This will help us better understand the Philippines’s wedgefish population and develop a conservation program for the species.
You might see one in your local market, fish ports or underwater! Share and let people learn how to identify the wedgefish. Available in English and Filipino.
 
Contact us at Wedgefish Watch PH for more information!
 
#WedgefishWednesdays
#WedgefishWatchPH
#ConservePHSharks

Training on the Enforcement of CITES-Listed Shark and Ray Species

Training on the Enforcement of CITES-Listed Shark and Ray Species in Catbalogan City, Samar

Last 16-17 June 2022, the Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines, in partnership with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Region 8 held a Training on the Enforcement of CITES-Listed Shark and Ray species at Catbalogan City, Samar. Over 30 participants from the BFAR, Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Customs, Philippine National Police – Maritime Group joined the training, with sessions on introduction to sharks and rays, the IUCN Redlist, CITES and relevant Philippine Laws, SOPs on Fishery Law Enforcement and CITES Species identification.

After undergoing the training, the participants are expected to have a better understanding of the importance of the conservation and protection of sharks, gain the knowledge on basic visual identification of CITES-listed shark species and the best practices for enforcement of the relevant Philippine laws.

 


 

Training on the Enforcement of CITES-Listed Shark and Ray Species in Zamboanga City

From 30 June to 1 July 2022, the Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines, in partnership with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Region 9 held a Training on the Enforcement of CITES-Listed Shark and Ray species at Grand Astoria Hotel in Zamboanga City.

Over 30 participants from the BFAR Fisheries Protection and Law Enforcement Group, Provincial Fisheries Offices, Office of the City Agriculturist, Municipal Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council, Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Customs, Philippine National Police – Maritime Group and the academe joined the training.


The training included sessions on shark biology, the IUCN Redlist and its role in international conventions and local conservation laws, CITES and relevant Philippine Laws, SOPs on Fishery Law Enforcement and CITES Species identification focusing on full carcass, processed carcass and dried products.

After undergoing the training, the participants are expected to have a better understanding of the importance of the conservation and protection of sharks, gain the knowledge on basic visual identification of CITES-listed shark species using the manuals provided and the best practices for enforcement of the relevant Philippine laws.

#ConservePHSharks
#Sharkada

Save Sharks Network PH and PaNaGaT Network Roundtable Discussion

Last 20 May 2022, members of the Save Sharks Network Philippines and Pangingisda Natin Gawing Tama (PaNaGaT) Network got together today for a roundtable discussion on shark policies and what we can do together to strengthen collaborations to the conservation of our shark and ray resources.

Ensuring the conservation of sharks, rays, in chimaeras in the Philippine Seas through policy development

Main partners

SPS, SSNP, Asian Research Institute for Environmental Law – ARIEL

The utilization of approximately 200 species of sharks, rays, and chimaeras in the Philippines are varied and conflicting: they are a fishery resource, utilized by coastal communities and profitable to traders in an industry that is still largely unmanaged, as well as a tourism asset with much potential to develop. The project wants to ensure the sustainability of shark utilization in the country by gathering support towards the passage of a national policy – a legal framework for the conservation, protection, and regulation of fisheries and other threats.

Conservation of marine turtles in their nesting beaches in Ilocos Norte

AC Energy Corporation, DENR

 

The presence of three species of marine turtles in the coast of Bangui and Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte promoted AC Energy Corporation to work for better protection of these species in their nesting beaches and near-shore habitat in their project sites.

Assessing the status of wedgefish fisheries in the Philippines

BFAR, NFRDI

Since 2017, the Philippines has supported the conservation of the White-spotted/Bottlenose Wedgefish Rhynchobatus australiae by proposing for its listing to the CMS Appendices, approved at CMS CoP12. R. australiae is globally classified by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as Critically Endangered due to population depletions driven by overfishing in artisanal and commercial fisheries. They are caught as target species and as bycatch primarily for their fins, which are extremely valuable in international trade. However, there is a dearth of information on the actual volume of catches, methods by which they are caught, as well as the areas where they are found. This information is necessary to further any conservation efforts on this species.

Developing a training module for marine wildlife tourism interactions

DOT, DENR, LaMaVe

The passing of the DOT-DA-DILG-DENR JMC No. 01 s. 2020 – Rules and Regulations governing the conduct of Marine Wildlife Tourism Interactions in the Philippines in 2020 encourages compliance to the provisions of this new regulation which will ensure that national standards are followed in the conduct of tourism activities involving marine wildlife for the safety of tourists, enhancement of their interaction experience, and especially the protection of our threatened marine wildlife.