Overcoming Catch Data Collection Challenges and Traceability Implementation Barriers in a Sustainable, Small-Scale Fishery

Alison Grantham, Ma. Raisa Pandan, Susan Roxas and Bryan Hitchcock
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Alison Grantham: Institute of Food Technologists, 525 W. Van Buren, Ste. 1000, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
Ma. Raisa Pandan: WWF-Philippines, 4/F JBD Plaza 65 Mindanao Avenue, Barangay Bagong Pag-Asa, Quezon City 1105, Philippines
Susan Roxas: WWF-Philippines, 4/F JBD Plaza 65 Mindanao Avenue, Barangay Bagong Pag-Asa, Quezon City 1105, Philippines
Bryan Hitchcock: Institute of Food Technologists, 525 W. Van Buren, Ste. 1000, Chicago, IL 60607, USA

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 3, 1-16

Abstract: The seafood sector faces both socioeconomic and environmental sustainability challenges, as well as pressure to demonstrate progress from governments, NGOs, retailers, and consumers. To document data elements necessary in verifying key sustainability attributes and fishery progress, the sector needs to implement traceability systems accessible to fishers and other vulnerable near-shore actors. Implementation must overcome a suite of technological, social, and economic barriers. We assessed and reviewed the efficacy of several approaches attempted in a Philippines yellowfin tuna ( Thunnus albacares) fishery. The current prevailing approach is a centralized, analog method of catch recording, both broadly across the Philippines and specifically in this MSC-certified fishery, where they have implemented enumerator-facilitated catch certificate recording. The fishery has begun developing, testing, and piloting new decentralized digital models, including NFC cards, RFID tags, and an app-based smartphone catch data capture. All approaches encountered barriers to uptake, and the most recent estimates suggest up to 44% of the catch in the Philippines remains unreported. We discuss additional systemic considerations necessary to advance sustainability outcomes and their documentation through traceability systems in the seafood sector originating with small-scale fishers.

Keywords: traceability; small-scale fisheries; supply chain (SC); sustainability; environmental impact; economic, environmental and social benefits of end-to-end SC traceability; sector-specific SC traceability for improved sustainability; context-aware SC sustainability; SC provenance and sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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