Southeast Asia provides the world with over a quarter of the global fish supply, according to the ASEAN Studies Center. Meeting this growing demand has put a severe strain on the marine life and locals who base their livelihoods on fishing.
Overfishing and Illegal, Unreported, Unregulated (IUU) fishing are rife in the region. As noted in our last fishing article “Changing the Tide: How Overfishing Harms SEA Seas and How You Can Help,” several different methods of IUU are severely damaging coral reefs and wiping out the very food source it seeks to capitalize off of.
The issue is an environmental and a humanist one: how do we keep marine ecosystems functioning while ensuring fisheries can still lead successful businesses providing the globe with a necessary food source?
The answer lies in new techniques and technologies. Investing in the following practices can protect the environment while maximizing economic growth for investors and local fisheries.
Electronic Catch Documentation and Traceability (eCDT)
ECDT systems collect real-time, accurate and verifiable information at all points along the seafood supply chain, from point of catch through to landing, processing, transport, and export. The Philippines launched a pilot of eCDT program in Sept 2017. Increased acceptance and use of such systems will help capture multiple types of real-time eCDT data across thousands of operators, such as licensed fishing companies, and will generate large data sets.
Sustainable Canneries
Farther up in the supply chain, distributors and canneries implementing more sustainable practices puts pressure on the rest of the chain to be more environmentally conscious. Greenpeace’s 2018 report, ‘Southeast Asia’s Tuna Cannery Ranking,’ focused on tuna canneries and brands in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand. Greenpeace found that these companies are taking steps towards a more traceable, sustainable and worker-friendly industry.
Artificial Intelligence
Case Study: Australia
Southeast Asia’s neighbor, Australia, is equally concerned with sustainable fishing practices. The country’s national science agency, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), has developed AI technology, called WANDA, to trace and confirm not only the sustainable practices behind fish consumption, but quality as well.
“WANDA will ‘see’ what is caught, identify where and when, and store the information. It will help managers and scientists better understand stock status of fish populations and initiate timely interventions and compliance measures. This will help fisheries managers and regulators ensure environmental sustainability.”
Implementation Techniques:
The Asia Foundation has identified some of the best ways to implement these practices. The key takeaway? Collaboration.
“Countries that already have their own national plans of action for IUU fishing can harmonize these plans into common regional practice. Overlapping maritime jurisdictions should be treated as a priority concern as jurisdictional disputes create obstacles for regional cooperation necessary to establish the framework for building sustainable fishing in the region. Regional cooperation on enforcement needs to be dramatically enhanced to address IUU fishing and improve overall sustainable fisheries management. “
– The Asia Foundation
