Participants to the Fisheries Vulnerability Assessment Tool (FishVool) Data Validation and Mapping in Bicol Region, together with Dr. Mudjekeewis D. Santos (seated third from left), Dr. Nelson B. Bien, Regional Director of BFAR Region 5  (seated left of Dr. Santos) and Dr. Noemi SB Lanzuela, Project Leader of NSAP Region 5 (seated left of Dr. Bien).   

A Focus Group Discussion (FGD) was held to validate the collected data on capture fisheries and aquaculture using the Fisheries Vulnerability Assessment Tool, or FishVool.  As a vulnerability assessment tool, FishVool is simple and offers an effective data collection tool for identifying areas that are highly vulnerable to climate change impacts.  During the FGD, experts from the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI) were able to generate vulnerability maps for the capture fisheries and aquaculture sectors in the six provinces (Albay, Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Masbate and Sorsogon) of the Bicol Region who participated in the activity.

Dr. Mudjekeewis D. Santos, Academician and Editor-in-Chief of The Philippine Journal of Fisheries who currently heads the Training Division of NFRDI served as the Resource Person in the activity.  He was supported by his staff from the Training Division – – Gilda Joannah A. Calderon, Mark Christian C. Bermejo and Sherwin B. Santos. (mdalonte)