SAFET Conference 2026 Program
The 2026 SAFET Conference, co-hosted with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), is a 3-day global gathering of over 300 leaders from government, industry, NGOs, fishers, tech providers, and scientists to learn about the technologies driving sustainability in the sector.
Through interactive panels, roundtables, fireside chats, and real-world technology demonstrations spanning emerging and existing technologies, participants explore the challenges facing practitioners and discover proven and cutting-edge technology solutions for sustainable fisheries.
14:00 to 16:00 PhST – Event check-in
Check-in, receive your badge and welcome pack, and connect with colleagues in the SAFET booth in the Mactan Ballroom foyer.
18:00 to 19:30 PhST – Welcome Reception
Welcome drinks and canapes in an informal setting in the Chapel Garden.
Theme: Responsible Fisheries and Governance
07:30 to 08:15 PhST – Event check-in open
Check-in to receive your badge and welcome pack in the SAFET booth in the Mactan Ballroom foyer.
07:30 to 08:30 PhST – Breakfast
Grab coffee and a buffet breakfast while networking with colleagues in the onsite restaurant.
08:30 to 09:00 PhST – Welcome and Introduction
Location: Marquee
Speakers
- Inga Wise, Executive Director, SAFET
- Representative from British Embassy Manila
- Undersecretary Drusila Esther E. Bayate, Philippines
- Steve Addison, Director UK CEFAS
09:00 to 09:15 PhST – UK Blue Belt programme
Location: Marquee
Speakers
- Speaker to be confirmed, UK MMO
09:20 to 10:40 PhST – Panel “The latest developments in Electronic Monitoring”
Location: Marquee
A panel session featuring some of the leading technology innovators, visionary NGOs, and government implementers discussing the latest developments in technology, use cases, and success stories across Electronic Monitoring.
The panel will feature a 10-minute talk from each speaker then questions from the audience.
Panellists
- Carmelo Lepori, International Business Development, Zunibal
- Pia Jonsson, Senior Advisor, Norwegian Government
- Dan Gilmete, Large-Scale Fisheries Pacific Manager, The Nature Conservancy
- Manuel Menchaca, Head of Business Development, Satlink
- Robin Prussin, Product Manager, Archipelago
- Vipul Prasad, Co-founder & CEO, Ocean Bytes
- Laetitia Paugam, Strategic Business Development Manager, Sinay
10:40 to 11:00 PhST – Coffee and Network break
Location: Marquee
11:00 to 12:05 PhST – Panel “Technologies enabling effective and efficient enforcement”
Location: Marquee
A panel session highlighting the latest innovations from technology solution providers supporting efficient and effective enforcement and governance in seafood and fisheries.
The panel will feature a 10-minute talk from each speaker then questions from the audience.
Panellists
- Paige Roberts, JAC Program Lead, IMCS Network
- Bubba Cook, Policy Director, Sharks Pacific
- Virgil Zetterlind, Director, Protected Seas
- Scott Coughlin, Managing Director, AirScale Marine
- Gregg Casad, Skylight
12:10 to 13:10 PhST – Panel “SE Asia PSMA implementation and enabling technologies”
Location: Marquee
A panel session to facilitate practitioner exchange on how PSMA is being implemented on the ground, what is proving effective, and where common barriers remain. Drawing on regional experience, it will create space to share approaches, learn across countries, and strengthen relationships that can support more coordinated PSMA delivery and wider regional cooperation, including presenting enabling technologies to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
The panel will be moderated by OceanMind.
Panellists
- Nick Wise, CEO, OceanMind (Moderator)
- Representative, Philippines Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
- Jitpisut Sanboonpeng, Royal Thai Government Department of Fisheries.
- Leakhena Chin, Cambodia General Directorate of Fisheries.
- Representative, Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
13:10 to 14:00 PhST – Lunch
Lunch and networking in the onsite restaurant.
14:00 to 14:30 PhST – BFAR Fisheries Geographic Information System (FGIS)
Location: Marquee
Speakers
- Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Philippines.
- Fish Right, Rhode Island University
14:30 to 16:00 PhST – Lightning Presentations
Location: Marquee
A series of 5-to-10-minute technology briefing presentations from the seafood and fisheries sector’s leading innovation companies.
Presenters
- Vishwanie Maharaj, WWF
- Kolbeinn Gunnarsson, Trackwell
- Chris Cusack, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and Fishing Vessel Observer Network (FVON)
- Faustino Velasco, Satlink
16:00 to 18:00 PhST – Open Discussion Tables and Roundtable Forums
Location: Marquee and Mactan 2 & 3
Open Discussion Tables are hosted conversations taking place simultaneously across the venue. Delegates are free to join any table, participate in discussions with speakers and fellow attendees, and move between topics throughout the session. The format is informal, interactive, and designed to maximise networking and exchange of ideas.
Discussion topics will be released soon!
18:30 to 19:30 PhST – Fireside Chat – Artificial intelligence for seafood and fisheries
Location: Chapel Garden
Speakers
- Amber Cubacub, CAWIL.AI, Philippines
- Gregg Casad, Skylight, U.S.
- Eric Enno Tamm, CEO, This Fish, Canada
- Representative, OceanMind, UK
Theme: Market Dynamics and Fair Value
07:30 to 08:30 PhST – Breakfast
Grab coffee and a buffet breakfast while networking with colleagues in the onsite restaurant.
08:30 to 09:15 PhST – Panel “Building an Ecosystem for Fairer Value Chains”
Location: Marquee
Panellists
- Ingrid Kelling, COAST Facility Programme Director (Moderator)
- Representative, UK CEFAS
- Josette Genio, Bluer Seas
- Mr Fredel Mued, Vice Chairman
- Director Rodolfo Mariposque (to be confirmed)
- Ms. Sandra Penalba, General Manager, Meliomar Inc
09:15 to 10:05 PhST – Panel “Streamlining market access using technology”
Location: Marquee
A panel session featuring the latest technology innovations in the seafood and fisheries sector enabling faster, more efficient, lower cost, more compliant market access strategies.
The panel will feature a 10-minute talk from each speaker then questions from the audience.
Panellists
- Mark Schrope, Director, Schmidt Marine Technology Partners (Moderator)
- Eric Enno Tamm, CEO, This Fish
- Aleksandra Bavdaz, Founder, Sensfish
- Robert Enever, Head of Science, Fishtek Marine
- Hervé Galabert, Fisheries Business Unit Director, CLS
10:10 to 10:40 PhST – BFAR TRACES-NT CATCH IT
Location: Marquee
Speakers
- Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Philippines.
10:40 to 11:00 PhST – Coffee and Network break
Location: Marquee
11:00 to 12:00 PhST – Panel “Electronic monitoring and connectivity for crews at sea”
Location: Marquee
A panel session to discuss how fisheries technologies can move from environmental monitoring tools to integrated systems that also support worker protection, crew welfare, and human rights due diligence.
The panel will be moderated by Ocean Outcomes.
Panellists
- Ho-Tu Chiang, Ocean Outcomes (Moderator)
- Mei-Chin Juan, Ocean Outcomes
- Sharlene Chen, Humanity Research Consultancy
- Dan Gilmer, The Nature Conservancy
- Manuel Menchaca, Satlink
12:05 to 13:05 PhST – Panel “Technology to support standards implementation”
Location: Marquee
A panel session to bring together perspectives from interoperable data standards, sustainability standards, and government to demonstrate how interoperability can be operationalized in practice, leveraging global standards to strengthen assurance systems, support national implementation, and facilitate trade.
The panel will be moderated by the Institute of Food Technologists.
Panellists
- Blake Harris, Managing Director, IFT Global Food Traceability Center (Moderator)
- Huw Thomas, Executive Director, Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability (GDST)
- Catherine Pigeon, Senior Supply Chain Innovation Manager, Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
- Lia Sugihartini, Government of Indonesia, Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF)
13:05 to 14:00 PhST – Lunch
Lunch and networking in the onsite restaurant.
14:00 to 14:30 PhST – Panel “Powering the Blue Economy: From Sustainable Fisheries to Marine Energy”
Location: Marquee
Panellists
- British Embassy Manila, UK Government
14:30 to 15:20 PhST – Panel “Emerging Technologies updates”
Location: Marquee
Panellists
- Mariah Meek, iCatch
- Madeline Green, University of Tasmania, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies
- Representative, University of Hawaii
- Dr. Steven Saul, Arizona State University
- Dr. Iker Zudaire, AZTI Foundation
15:20 to 15:40 PhST – Philippines Space Agency VIIRS dark vessel detection
Location: Marquee
Speakers
- Noel Jerome B. Borlongan, Philippines Space Agency
15:40 to 16:30 PhST – Lightning Presentations
Location: Marquee
A series of 5-to-10-minute technology briefing presentations from the seafood and fisheries sector’s leading innovation companies.
Presenters
- Norichika Kambe, COO, Lighthouse
- Eric Enno Tamm, CEO, This Fish
- Pratheesh T K, Hexlnt Technologies
- Christy Kim, Technical Sales Manager, SUNCOM Co. Ltd.
- Cherry Murillon-Cubacub, CEO, Cawil.Ai
16:30 to 18:00 PhST – Open Discussion Tables and Roundtable Forums
Location: Marquee and Mactan 2 & 3
Open Discussion Tables are hosted conversations taking place simultaneously across the venue. Delegates are free to join any table, participate in discussions with speakers and fellow attendees, and move between topics throughout the session. The format is informal, interactive, and designed to maximise networking and exchange of ideas.
Discussion topics will be released soon!
18:30 to 19:30 PhST – Fireside Chat – Impact Investment
Location: Chapel Garden
Speakers
- Coming soon
Theme: Livelihoods and Coastal Communities
07:30 to 08:30 PhST – Breakfast
Grab coffee and a buffet breakfast while networking with colleagues in the onsite restaurant.
08:30 to 09:00 PhST – The Blue Belt programme UKOT’s
Location: Marquee
Speakers
- UK government and OT representatives
09:00 to 10:00 PhST – Panel “Building Coastal Enterprises for Sustainable Livelihoods”
Location: Marquee
Panellists
- Baxter Duane Hernandez, Investor Associate, Mana Impact Partners (Moderator)
- Representative, UK Government
- Nadea Nabilla, Founder and CEO, Azura Indonesia
- Ms. Helen Reyes, Hublag Microfinance
- Michael Philipps, Future Fish
- Elisa Claire Sy, Founder and CEO, E-Primate Inc.
10:00 to 10:30 PhST – Organising Across Borders: A Case Study on Labour and Management Cooperation
Location: Marquee
Speakers
- Liu Huang Li-Chuan, National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan
10:30 to 10:50 PhST – Coffee and Network break
Location: Marquee
10:50 to 11:50 PhST – Panel “Technologies and lessons from small scale fisheries”
Location: Marquee
A panel session to showcase lessons learnt and case studies from technology implementation in small scale fisheries.
The panel will feature a 15-minute talk from each speaker then questions from the audience.
Panellists
- Berenice Garcia Villarreal, Capacity Development Specialist, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) Mexico
- Jessie Floren, GIS Specialist, Oceana Philippines
- Kai Garcia Neefjes, Indonesia Lead, International Pole & Line Foundation (IPNLF)
- Representative, YKAN
11:55 to 12:35 PhST – Panel “Investing in sustainable fisheries”
Location: Marquee
A panel session led by UK Frontier Tech Hub featuring investors, ventures, and technologists discussing the startup environment facing organisations innovating in the seafood and fisheries sector.
The panel will be moderated by Frontier Tech Hub.
Panellists
- Gita Luz, Head of Global Partnerships, Frontier Tech Hub (Moderator)
- Representatives from the wider investment and technology community
12:35 to 13:05 PhST – DOST-ASTI, Philippines government
Location: Marquee
Speakers
- Representative, DOST-ASTI, Philippines government
13:05 to 14:00 PhST – Lunch
Lunch and networking in the onsite restaurant.
14:00 to 15:00 PhST – Presentation from Rare
Location: Marquee
Speakers
- Representative, Rare
15:00 to 15:30 PhST – From Compliance to Advantage: Financing the Fisheries Businesses That Can Sustain
Location: Marquee
Speakers
- Stuart Green, Blue Green Advisors
15:30 to 16:30 PhST – Lightning Presentations
Location: Marquee
A series of 5-to-10-minute technology briefing presentations from the seafood and fisheries sector’s leading innovation companies.
Presenters
- Representative, UK Government
- Benjamin So, CEO, Zeal Industries
- Diego Undurraga, Future of Fish
- Salifu Daniel Eyiojotule, Founder, Aqua Pro X Africa
16:30 to 18:00 PhST – Open Discussion Tables and Roundtable Forums
Location: Mactan ballrooms 1, 2 & 3
Open Discussion Tables are hosted conversations taking place simultaneously across the venue. Delegates are free to join any table, participate in discussions with speakers and fellow attendees, and move between topics throughout the session. The format is informal, interactive, and designed to maximise networking and exchange of ideas.
Discussion topics will be released soon!
19:00 to TBD PhST – Closing Ceremony Dinner
Location: Marquee