The Iloilo State University of Fisheries Science and Technology (ISUFST), through its Office of International Affairs and Linkages (OIAL), successfully hosted a five-day Fisheries Management Modeling Training from November 25 to 29, 2024, at the ISUFST Board Room, Main Campus – Tiwi Site. The training mentored 30 participants, including Fisheries and IT students, to utilize advanced tools like the GAMA platform for fisheries management simulations. This initiative supports SDG 14: Life Below Water and teaches students computer modeling to address environmental issues.
Dr. Bayona, Director of OIAL, said, “This training is not only an opportunity for our students to deepen their technical skills, but also reinforces our commitment to addressing global environmental challenges through innovation and research.”
Sylvain Lamouret, Co-Operation Attaché at the Embassy of France, congratulated the participants online, stating, “I’d like to congratulate the students and student organizations of the State University of Fisheries Science and Technology for completing the Fisheries Management Modeling training of the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement. This training program aims to support civil society and young Filipinos to become advocates for ocean protection. We are delighted to have linked the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement and ISUFST, and we hope it will lead to further collaboration.”
The training supported ISUFST’s mission to become a leading research university in Southeast Asia’s fisheries, agriculture, education, and technology by 2030. The program primarily focused on Agent-Based Modeling (ABM), where students learned how to create bio-economic fisheries models using the GAMA platform. French experts Arnaud Grignard and Tri Nguyen-Huu from the UMMISCO Lab, National Research Institute for Sustainable Development, and Julius Millano Bangate from the French National Geographical Institute led the sessions.
Each training day focused on a specific aspect of fisheries management and modeling. On Day 1, students were introduced to ABM, learning about agent behaviors and essential model development using the GAMA platform. Day 2 covered spatial modeling, GIS, and global fisheries management concepts, including sustainability metrics and policies. Day 3 focused on marine protected areas and fish aggregation devices and began the students’ design of their fisheries models.
In the final two days, participants worked on developing their models, designing simulations, and analyzing different scenarios. On Day 5, students presented their completed models during a culminating activity. Five groups shared their innovative solutions. Four groups from the College of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences simulated real-world issues such as overfishing and natural disasters using 3D modeling in GAMA. The fifth group, from the College of Information and Communications Technology, created a website to showcase and consolidate the models into a centralized platform.
The students impressed the speakers and organizers with their creativity and technical expertise. Faculty mentors and international trainers praised the participants’ ability to apply complex concepts to real-world problems, demonstrating a deep understanding of the subject matter.
The Embassy of France to the Philippines and Micronesia supported the training under the Youth and Ocean Funds initiative in collaboration with the National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD). Key ISUFST faculty members, including OIAL Director Dr. Jeanette Bayona, Research and Development Office Director Dr. Jescel Bito-onon, College of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Dean Dr. Rolindo Demo-os, and College of Information and Communications Technology Dean Dr. Renante Diamante, delivered the closing remarks.
Participants expressed excitement about applying their new skills to their academic research, especially in their thesis projects. The speakers also expressed interest in hosting similar training sessions further to enhance ISUFST’s efforts in internationalization and innovation.
Speakers and attendees received certificates to conclude the event this Friday, November 29. This ended a transformative learning experience that improved students’ skills and broadened their perspectives on sustainable fisheries management. (Julius Ruger Hermano/OIAL/PAMMCO/Published by: Patrick Lance Nacion/MIS-PAMMCO)
