On February 21-23, 2017, the USAID Oceans and Fisheries Partnership (USAID Oceans) held a stakeholder validation workshop titled Towards Improved Fisheries Management and Biodiversity Conservation in Southern Mindanao: Stakeholder Validation and Initial Crafting of a Sustainable Fisheries Management Plan in General Santos City, South Cotabato, Philippines to validate the results of subcontracted studies as well as proceed with the development of the Sustainable Fisheries Management Plan (SFMP). Subcontracted studies included a Value Chain Analysis of tuna fisheries, Rapid Appraisal for Fisheries Management, Gender Analysis and Labor Assessment, conducted to inform the design and development of the program’s Catch Documentation and Traceability (CDT) system and complementary program activity approaches.

The workshop resulted in the production of validated and updated results of the four USAID Oceans subcontracted studies, updated list of issues and problems, opportunities, and recommended interventions for the fisheries of Philippines Learning Site, and basic or skeletal elements of the SFMP for the Sarangani Bay-Sulawesi Sea. In addition, the workshop enhanced understanding of the USAID Oceans project components and elements, secured greater “buy-in” for the project, and strengthened organizational relationships among various project partners from the national government agencies (NGAs), local government units (LGUs), private sector, academe, civil society groups, etc.

These workshop proceedings provide a summary of the three day workshop. Workshop presentations may be referenced in the supporting Workshop Presentations package.

Worldfish. (2017). Stakeholder Validation Workshop Proceedings.