In a recent meeting, the Association of Small and Medium Scale Fishing Operators, through its President, Ms. Leonida Jusay, has expressed support to the activities of NFRDI and BFAR in assessing post-harvest losses in medium scale commercial fishing (ring net and purse seine).  Ms. Jusay committed the association’s support in the presence of: Dr. Ulysses M. Montojo, Chief of NFRDI’s Post-Harvest Research and Development Division (PHRDD); Mario Ruinata, Chief, Research Division of BFAR Region 7; Edgardo Delfin, Provincial Fisheries Officer (PFO) of Cebu; and representatives from BAFOR(Bisayas Alliance of Fisherfolk and Operators for Reform) Incorporated, Cebu-Bohol.

Reduction of food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses in food (fish included), is among the targets (Target 12.3) of the United Nations under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Number 12.  There are 17 SDGs identified by the UN in its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and each of these is an urgent call for action by all countries.

In response to this call, NFRDI is conducting studies to determine economic, physical and financial losses on fish and fishery products and to identify which chain has the most losses.  Data from these studies will help in formulating policies and strategies to innovate handling practices that will reduce fish loss in the different supply chain.  (by MDAlonte, with report and photos from Dr. Montojo)