Exploring Information and Communication Technology for Fisheries

Early October, ABALOBI and Blue Ventures, two NGOs using ICTs in their support to small-scale fisheries, organized an international workshop called ICT4Fisheries in practice in Cape Town, South Africa. Information and Communication Technology for Fisheries (ICT4Fisheries) is about promoting the use of digital technology and applications that span a wide range of areas from maritime safety to accessing markets, including also data collection for fisheries monitoring purposes.

The workshop brought together actors working in the fisheries digital space to share insights about the use of ICTs in small-scale fishing communities. Through case study presentations and interactive sessions, actors reflected on the utilization of ICT4Fisheries and extracted key emerging lessons to ensure that technology is implemented in an inclusive way. There were 72 participants present, representing various organisations in the small-scale fisheries sector including government, non-governmental organisations, fishers, private sector, research organisations and intergovernmental organizations. Adding to that, approximately 50 individuals from 17 countries followed the sessions online.

The four-day workshop started with a field visit to Kalk Bay, a local harbour in the southern part of Cape Town. The field trip served as an opportunity for participants to gain insights into the small-scale fishing industry in South Africa and served as an introduction to the ABALOBI Marketplace initiative. This initiative allows small-scale fishers to sell fish directly to restaurants by using an app together with ABALAOBI support and infrastructure. As a result, participating fishers receive a more equitable price for their fish, and restaurants are able to source traceable fish. In addition to the ABALABOI Marketplace, there is the ABALOBI Pantry which works with fisher women in fishing communities to promote and sell high quality processed products.

Day two and three of the workshop included a number of case study presentations by participants on work using ICTs in different parts of the world: ABALOBI in South Africa, Blue Ventures in Timor Leste and Madagascar, WorldFish in Timor Leste, Dahari in the Comoros, MDPI in Indonesia, The Nature Conservancy in Belize, the Dakshin Foundation in India. These presentations highlighted how ICTs were developed and implemented within specific contexts. Smaller group discussions were facilitated to extract key learnings from these cases. In addition, specific topics were explored such as data literacy, scaleability and co-design.

The workshop discussions clearly indicated that technology can be a powerful tool with a variety of applications in small-scale fisheries. At the same time, technology is only one part of a bigger picture, and its use will only be successful if building upon robust frameworks and participatory approaches. Applying the SSF Guidelines when developing and promoting ICT tools, including the principles of participation, non-discrimination, transparency and gender equality, is essential for ensuring equitable and sustainable outcomes.

The workshop report will be made available on the ICT4Fisheries in practice website.

There is also a video from the workshop.