SU IEMS faculty and students present aquatic biodiversity research at scientific convention
(Left to right) Mary Claire M. Villanueva-Gatucao, PhD student; John Reimer Fajardo, IV MB student; Floramae J. Neri, IEMS faculty member; Drako Joseph Ledesma, IEMS alumnus; Julia Maria Teresa Javier, IV MB student; Dr. Pablina L. Cadiz, IEMS Insturction coordinator; Patricia Nicole Gajo, IV MB student; Dr. Janet S. Estacion, IEMS Director and FIMFS president; Dr. Aileen P. Maypa, IEMS Extension coordinator; Danielle Mark M. Fukuda, IEMS ICT and Fieldwork coordinator; and Genalyn Galas, PhD student represent SU at the event.
The Silliman University (SU) Institute of Environmental and Marine Sciences (IEMS) faculty and students presented their research at the 56th Annual Conference of the Federation of Institutions of Marine and Freshwater Sciences (FIMFS) Annual Convention, on October 22-24, 2024, in Mati, Davao Oriental.
This year’s theme, “BLUE HARMONY: Regenerating Our Aquatic Worlds,” focused on the preservation and regeneration of aquatic ecosystems, drawing participants from across the Philippines.
Emphasizing the rich biodiversity of Dumaguete City and its surrounding areas, IEMS faculty members presented their respective studies, including Dr. Aileen P. Maypa (“Fish Biodiversity, Standing Stocks and Production in Dumaguete Coast and What Will Be Lost to Reclamation: A Case Study in the Central Philippines”) and Dr. Pablina L. Cadiz with Dr. Hilconida O. Calumpong, Dianne M. Yap, Floramae J. Neri, Clint G. Alvior, and Ian Canlas
(“Blue Carbon Stock of Mangroves in South Negros, Philippines”).
Dr. Janet S. Estacion, IEMS director and FIMFS president, delivers her welcome remarks to the different Federation institutions and participants to the convention.
Other faculty members, including Danielle Mark M. Fukuda, presented on “Macroinvertebrate Community in the Four Marine Protected Areas of Dumaguete City” with Maypa, while Floramae J. Neri discussed “Mobilizing Communities for Mangrove Restoration in South Negros: Science- and Socio Cultural-Based Approach to Restoration and Management” along with Calumpong, Cadiz, Mira Yap, and Alvior.
Meanwhile, students from IEMS also showcased their ongoing projects. Patricia Nicole P. Gajo led the presentation on the “Aspects of the Reproductive Biology of Commercially Important Species, Lethrinus harak (Forsskal 1775) from the Central Philippines” withMaypa, and Jhon Reimer Fajardo.
Fajardo, Maypa, and Gajo also presented their study, “Age Structure and Growth of the Thumbprint Emperor (Lethrinus harak) from Dumaguete Coast, Central Philippines.”
Julia Maria Teresa Javier explored “Carbon Potential of A 3-Year Old Planted Rhizophora stylosa griff. in Unused Fishponds in Enrique B. Magalona, Negros Occidental” with Cadiz, while Drako Ledesma, IEMS alumnus, examined “Crown-Of-Thorns Sea Star (Acanthaster planci) Responses to an Acetic Acid Control Protocol” along with Fukuda.
Finally, Mary Claire M. Villanueva-Gatucao presented on “Tagbanua Local Ecological Knowledge, Fishing Practices and the Challenges of Integration Towards a Sustainable Fisheries Management Framework” with Maypa.
The FIMFS conference, which has evolved from its inception in 1968 to include 38 member institutions, serves as a vital platform for collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and environmental advocates. This year’s event facilitated a rich exchange of ideas and research findings, promoting interdisciplinary cooperation to tackle the pressing issues facing aquatic ecosystems.
Dr. Janet S. Estacion, IEMS director, serves as the incumbent president of the FIMFS.
According to the organizers, this year’s “Blue Harmony: Regenerating Our Aquatic Worlds” is “a convention that explores the depths of marine and freshwater sciences, a remarkable journey towards nurturing and safeguarding our aquatic environments and fostering a sustainable future for generations to come.”
