PACPI Partners with WWF-Philippines for Fishery Improvement Plan

November 2017

The Philippine Association of Crab Processors, Inc. (PACPI) recently participated in a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing event with WWF-Philippines on November 17, 2017 at the WWF-Philippines Headquarters in Quezon City. The organization’s partnership with PACPI is an eighteen-month long collaboration, which supports the implementation of the Fishery Improvement Program (FIP) for the future economic benefits of the fishermen and similar industries.

In this partnership, WWF-Philippines will serve as the mentor and partner of PACPI in actualizing the necessary processes such as overseeing researches, studies, and the planning process of the development of the FIP in Negros Occidental. The agreement was signed in the presence of representatives from WWF-Philippines and PACPI.

“This [partnership project] has been a work in process for quite a long time, at least we [now] have an understanding [and] this is the first time that we will do it. We’re quite apprehensive before, but we would like to have the contributions made by our donors go a long way, and benefit the fishermen” PACPI Chairman, Robert Eduardo said in a statement made after the signing. “We really look forward to the results of this project,” he expressed in enthusiasm.

“Now we’re doing more on fisheries sustainability we call it Fishery Improvement Program and we have one for tuna and now it’s very fortunate that we are working with the private sector towards the sustainability of the fisheries,” WWF-Philippines President Joel Palma stated in agreement. He further added, “For us, you cannot really sustain the fisheries without engaging the business sector.”

The project aims to deliver 5 key results:

1. Establishment of critical baseline information for the Blue Crab Fishery
2. Assessment of the fishery’s performance against the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard/Impacts of the fishery on ecosystem
3. Capacity building and strengthening of stakeholders for governance,
4. Fisheries Improvement Program (FIP) action plan developed and implemented together with stakeholders and partners
5. MSC pre-assessment and feasibility for MSC certification.