BFAR to tap new catch documentation system to fight illegal fishing

The Philippine government can soon utilize a new catch documentation system – which took five years to be developed – in addressing illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. A statement showed that the Philippines Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), in partnership with the USAID Oceans and SEAFDEC, completed the establishment of the electronic catch documentation and traceability (eCDT) system after five years.

System to boost the Philippines’ sustainable fishing efforts

Through collaboration with the USAID Oceans and Fisheries Partnership (USAID Oceans) and the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, the Philippines Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources launches a newly-developed electronic catch documentation and traceability (eCDT) system to strengthen the Philippine government’s fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing and sustainable management of the country’s waters

Women’s Economic Empowerment: Smartphones, Fintech, and Indonesia’s Fisheries

USAID INVEST is building on the Trafiz traceability applications developed by USAID Oceans by adding “fintech” components that help women fish sellers in Indonesia obtain the financial services they want and need.

BFAR to use new catch documentation system to curb illegal fishing

The Philippine government is set to use a newly-developed electronic catch documentation and traceability (e-CDT) system to address illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. The e-CDT system will document key information about harvest, processing and transportation of fisheries products to enable traceability from harvest and point of origin to its destination – a process that eliminates the chances of IUU fishing and illegally–caught fish from entering the market. It is a partnership project of the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the USAID Oceans and Fisheries Partnership (USAID Oceans) and the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC).

Newly-Developed fisheries catch documentation system set to improve Philippine’s sustainable resource management

QUEZON CITY, Feb. 6 — The Philippine government’s fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUUF) and sustainable management of the country’s waters will soon become more effective with the newly-developed electronic catch documentation and traceability (e-CDT) system.

A partnership project of the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the USAID Oceans and Fisheries Partnership (USAID Oceans) and the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC), the e-CDT system will document key information about harvest, processing and transportation of fisheries products to enable traceability from harvest and point of origin to its destination – a process that eliminates the chances of IUU fishing and illegally–caught fish from entering the market.

Philippines combats IUUF with electronic system

Highlighting the importance of nurturing the environment while setting good policy directions, Agriculture Secretary William Dar urged the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) to make fishers live more prosperously than before.

“Look at sustainable practices and avoid overfishing,” Dar underscored at the closeout event of USAID Oceans and Fisheries Partnership (USAID Oceans).

PRESS RELEASE: USAID Oceans and Partners Celebrate Accomplishments in Improving Fisheries Management in the “Tuna Capital” of the Philippines

This week, public and private sector leaders in the seafood industry are gathering in Manila to formally recognize the end of the USAID Oceans and Fisheries Partnership’s work in the Philippines and to celebrate collective accomplishments.

USAID Oceans Grantees Share Progress in Developing Innovative Digital Solutions for Sustainable Fisheries Management

In Manila on November 5, 2019, USAID Oceans convened its Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) Technical Advisory Group and grantee organizations developing innovative technology solutions for EAFM at the program’s learning sites.

Thailand Department of Fisheries Identifies Opportunities to Improve Catch Documentation, Traceability, and Fisheries Management

USAID Oceans has been collaborating with the Thailand Department of Fisheries (DOF) to develop and implement a robust national electronic catch documentation and traceability system. In pursuit of this goal, on October 31st, 2019, USAID Oceans, the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, and the Thailand DOF held a Fisheries Value Chain Analysis Workshop.

Safer at sea: The unexpected benefit of traceability for small-scale fishers

Big and small fishing vessels are now installing systems to track where they catch fish and register the data for others in the supply chain to see. These systems are changing the lives of small-scale fishermen in an unexpected way: by enabling them to stay in touch with their families.

USAID Oceans has been supporting this initiative in General Santos, the Philippines by equipping small-scale fishers with traceability technologies and working with local governments to track vessel locations and collect important data to inform fisheries management.