PROJECT: Mindoro Strait: Sustainable and Equitable Tuna for Bankability Project (EU Switch Asia)

LOCATION: Based in Occidental Mindoro

DURATION: 2 years (February 2023 until January 2025)

SUPERVISION:  Environmental Management Specialist, Community Enterprise Specialist, Project Manager

ACCOUNTABLE TO: WWF-Philippines

WORKS WITH: 

• Internal: Project Team; WWF-Philippines STP 2 Project Manager, Field Operations Manager, Site Manager and Fisheries Management Coordinator in Occidental Mindoro
• External: Government authorities (Local government units, FARMC, etc.); local community associations (Tuna Fishers’ Associations, Women’s Committees), other local partners and organizations

PROJECT DESCRIPTION  

Since 2011, WWF-Philippines has been active in advancing and implementing Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPS) in the tuna fisheries in Lagonoy and Mindoro Strait, Philippines to ensure sustainable fisheries production while improving the welfare of small-scale handline fisherfolk.  The Fishery Improvement Projects WWF-Philippines supported in Lagonoy Gulf and Mindoro have been awarded the Marine Stewardship Council Certification (MSCC), the first in the country to achieve such distinction. The MSCC is a highly-coveted global ecolabel and fishery certification program that awards sustainable fishing practices. The MSCC influences consumers in buying sustainable seafood, as well as providing the small-scale tuna fishers of Occidental Mindoro an opportunity to further expand its EU consumer market base. 

However, the MSC Certification requires its awardees to continuously uphold sustainable fisheries principles; failure to do so would risk the communities’ certification to be revoked. To ensure sustainable fishery practices, the communities need to improve its post-harvest facilities and services, and sanitary procedures to reduce wasted tuna through post-harvest losses, and prolong and increase the quality of the fish for export. Through extensive consultations with the communities, WWF-Philippines identified the lack of such facilities and services as the primary barrier in sustaining the communities’ export market. Lack of diverse alternative livelihood sources, including sustainable aquaculture products, not only limits the competitiveness of Occidental Mindoro but also risks food and economic insecurity.

Mindoro Strait, a major tuna fishery area in the Philippines, also forms part of the wider Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape, a mega-diverse marine ecoregion that stretches towards Palawan. Strengthening the fishery operations in this area to economies of scale increases the potential for sound investment and returns in a bankable project. For instance, processing may generate better returns if the communities offer high-quality tuna and diversified sustainably sourced seafood and other livelihood products. 

Funded by the European Union (EU) Switch Asia Program, the Mindoro Strait Sustainable and Equitable Tuna for Bankability (MS-SETB) Project aims to strengthen the capacities of fishing households in Occidental Mindoro to develop sustainable performance-based bankable projects that reduce post-harvest losses of seafood and to build the resilience of coastal communities through the diversification of new or improved existing livelihoods. 

BENEFICIARIES OF THE ACTION

The direct target groups and beneficiaries are the following: 38 MSME trade and exporting companies in three (3) industry associations (Philippine Association for Tuna Processors, Inc., Fresh Frozen Seafood Association of the Philippines, and the Philippine Cephalopod Association of Producers and Exporters, Inc.); 1,238 tuna fishing households (as members of the Tuna Fishers’ Associations in Mindoro Strait); Occidental Mindoro Women’s Committees to expand to at least 300 women community members. 

KEY FUNCTIONS

The primary responsibilities of the Community Coordinator are to:

• Facilitate the mobilization of the communities to engage in the project activities, such as meetings, workshops, data gathering for studies and baseline assessments, and livelihood and mentoring sessions
• Responsible for the day-to-day project operation at the community level
• Assist the Environmental Management Specialist and Community Enterprise Specialist in monitoring livelihood, community development, and compliance activities
• Closely coordinate with local authorities in monitoring the implementation and operation of post-harvest facilities, area management, livelihood development, and other fisheries management and environmental policies
• Work with the STP 2 Site Manager and Fisheries Management Coordinators in Occidental Mindoro in monitoring organizational and community development work and management capacities at the local level, and in liaising with the Tambuyog Development Center in the capacity development activities

QUALIFICATIONS

• Holds a Bachelor’s degree relevant to social sciences, humanities and arts, community development, with considerable knowledge in fisheries management, community organizing, and social enterprise development
• Significant proven experience working with local fishing communities and relevant government agencies in the MIMAROPA region
• An understanding of community development models, especially asset-based community development and social enterprise development
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work flexible hours, depending on work requirements
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including negotiation and conflict resolution