_{Participants of the Second Level Operational Training on Fisheries Survey}

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Regional Statistical Services Office (RSSO) VII conducted the second level Operational Training on Fisheries Survey on 27 to 29 February 2024 at Golden Prince Hotel and Suites, Cebu City. The training was attended by the Regional and Provincial Focal Persons (FPs) from the provinces of Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental and Siquijor together with their respective Alternate Focal Persons (AFPs). The activity aims to capacitate and strengthen knowledge of the regional and provincial FPs and AFPs on the overview, survey design, forms to be used and how to accomplish it, organization, and processes of the operations in the field for the fisheries surveys. They shall also serve as the trainer during the third level training in their respective provinces, which shall be attended and participated in by the hired statistical researchers (SRs). The fisheries sector is composed of four (4) subsectors, namely: commercial, inland fishery, municipal fishery, and aquaculture.

Mr. Joseph Jim Abadingo, Statistical Specialist II of PSA RSSO VII and Mr. Allan Berangel, Statistical Specialist II of PSA Negros Oriental served as the trainers as they have attended the taskforce training in Manila.

Chief Statistical Specialist Leopoldo P. Alfanta, Jr of PSA RSSO VII – SOCD, during his opening message, emphasized the importance of capacitating the regional and provincial focal person down to the hired SRs to have accurate, reliable, and timely data for fishery sector. The collected data will also be an input to the estimation of the National and Regional Accounts of the Philippines under the Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing (AFF).

_{Participants of the coordination meeting with Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) 7}

On 01 March 2024, a coordination meeting with Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) 7 was conducted together with the PSA regional and provincial representatives at BFAR Office, Arellano Boulevard, Pier Area, Cebu City. This is a collaboration with BFAR to harmonize fisheries data in the region.