The BSC working group has been structured based on ongoing Fisheries Improvement Projects (FIPs) and the Philippine Blue Swimming Crab Management Plan (BSCMP). Key private stakeholders are the Philippine Association of Crabs Processors (PACPI), Inc. and supported by the NFI Crab Council (NFICC)—NFICC being an association of U.S. seafood companies. PACPI is an industry organization which congregates most processors and exporters and has actively participated in BSC fisheries improvement. PACPI will continue its contribution to BSCMP implementation. The engagement of these groups is fundamental for improving the enforcement of fishery regulations (e.g., minimum capture size, ban on the capture of berried females). Therefore, the project will encourage that processors/exporters, domestic retailers and wholesalers impose product control mechanisms (e.g., minimum size) to incentive fishermen, local traders and independent picking plant to engage into improving the fishery.

The creation of a new octopus working group platform will build upon the country’s experience with the BSC fishery. The compositions of key players will be structured around Local Government Units (LGUs), among others, as octopus is a municipal fishery commodity. However, LGUs have limited technical and resource capacities, in view of other competing priorities at the local level. Thus, intervention efforts by the Philippines’ Fisheries Bureau, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), under the Department of Agriculture, shall be crucial in providing technical assistance, among other forms of support. Fisherfolk, local traders, processors and exporters are not associated. Therefore, the project will take provisions to engage this groups and motivate, at least, basic organizational schemes.