CSU, BFAR 2, OIST SIGN MOA FOR INTERNATIONAL FISH RESEARCH PROJECT

A new international scientific collaboration was launched this morning as Cagayan State University (CSU), DA-BFAR Region 2, and Japan’s Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) signed a ceremonial Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) during a courtesy call to CSU OIC President Dr. Arthur G. Ibañez, January 30, 2026.

The visiting delegation included Dr. Harutaka Hata and Dr. Ken Maeda of OIST, Dr. Midori Iida of Hokkaido University, and Dr. Emma L. Ballad, Agricultural Center Chief II of DA-BFAR Region 2, representing Regional Director Angel B. Encarnacion.

The partnership will implement a joint research project titled “Fauna and Life History of Freshwater and Estuarine Fish of the Philippines: Toward Elucidation of the Larval Dispersal Mechanism of Diadromous Fish Along the Kuroshio Current.”

The project, funded by the Nagao Natural Environment Foundation (NEF) for three years beginning May 2025, aims to generate scientific knowledge on fish biodiversity, life history, and larval dispersal patterns, contributing to fisheries conservation, aquatic resource management, and regional ecological understanding.