Fish Right is a long-term partnership between the University of Rhode Island (URI) and the United States government, implemented in the Philippines since 2018. Now in its third phase, the program is led by URI’s Coastal Institute and builds on fisheries and coastal management work established through URI’s Coastal Resources Center. The 2026 extension expands the program’s scope to address fisheries governance, marine scientific research, and seafood supply chain development across the western Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
About the Program
Fish Right supports sustainable fisheries management, community resilience, and coastal livelihoods across the Philippines. In its current phase, the program addresses increasing pressure on coastal resources, including illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and restricted access to traditional fishing grounds, by combining community-led monitoring, applied marine science, and market development to protect fishing incomes and strengthen fisheries governance across the western Philippine EEZ.
The program operates across four priority maritime corridors: the Luzon Strait, Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, Mindoro Strait, and Balabac Strait, with on-the-ground activities in the provinces of Palawan, Mindoro, Zambales, and Ilocos.
Key Activities
Community-Led Maritime Reporting
Fisher groups and coastal communities are trained and equipped to document and report IUU fishing and at-sea incidents, contributing to national and provincial dashboards coordinated across enforcement, fisheries agencies, and local government.
Marine Scientific Research
Applied research establishes baselines for fish biomass, ecosystem productivity, and ecosystem services, and documents ecosystem impacts to inform policy, legal strategy, and restoration.
Seafood Value Chain Development
The program strengthens supply chains through aquaculture and post-harvest improvements, traceability partnerships, and market development to help fishing communities access premium buyers and improve incomes.
Outcomes
These activities support more coordinated government response, safer and lawful access for Filipino fishers to their territorial waters, stronger governance, and a clearer record for policy, legal, and diplomatic action. U.S. assistance in the fisheries sector will strengthen U.S. security, deepen alliances, and expand economic interdependence.
The Fish Right program is implemented by URI through its Foreign Branch Office in Manila and a U.S.-based technical team.
Core Team
- Elin Torell, Principal Investigator, Director, Coastal Institute — elintorell@uri.edu
- Sarah Gaines, Senior Program Manager — sgaines@uri.edu
- Tyler Pavlowich, Co-Principal Investigator, Ocean Research and Data Lead — tyler_pavlowich@uri.edu
- Lauren Josephs, Seafood Value Chains and Traceability Lead — lauren_josephs2@uri.edu
- Sarah Smith, Social Science Lead — ssmith29@uri.edu
- Nygiel Armada, Chief of Party — narmada@fishright.crcuri.org
For full bios, visit the CI Team page
Funders & Partners
U.S. Government · U.S. State Department · University of Rhode Island · Philippine Department of Agriculture · National and local government agencies across Palawan, Mindoro, Zambales, and Ilocos
Documents & Links
Past Fish Right publications can be searched at:
