The fisheries sector produces healthy fish products and also provides jobs for millions of people. This industry sector works with valuable data that is important to make vital informed decisions. Paper-based data needs to be scanned with the help of a document scanning service. It helps to organize data that comes from different sources into a single format. Converting data into digital format allows advanced technologies to extract valuable insights from it and develop evidence-based strategies that helps in the growth of the sector.

Integrating Digital Data with Advanced Technology

The fisheries industry all around the world is facing two major challenges, climate change that results in fish stocks migrating away from historical grounds, and feeding millions of people a good source of protein in a sustainable manner. Even though technological innovations cannot resolve these issues completely, the fisheries industry can improve their management practices and policies utilizing the data made available by technology. Data insights can be used to meet the present requirements without risking the resources needed for future generations. The information obtained would serve to empower fishers and provide the right information to customers that helps them make a responsible choice of seafood.

The fisheries industry uses electronic monitoring systems that collect data like the number of fishes that are caught, fishing efforts like number of hours or days spent on fishing, number of people on shift, bycatch or capture of non-target species like dolphins, marine turtle etc. Converting these data into digital format helps to analyze and improve stock and ensure that the catch limits are in a sustainable manner. It also helps to track the catch.

The present fisheries monitoring system is in stress because there are many illegal catches occurring every year. Unreported and unregulated fishing in the Pacific alone, is estimated to already cost Pacific nations $4.3 billion to $8.3 billion per year in loss of gross revenues. To monitor the fishing activity, fishery observers are appointed onboard vessels to minimize illegal catches. The data collected by these observers is independent data on catch, fishing effort, and compliance with conservation management measures. Converting such independent data into digital format is vital because the data plays a significant role in ocean management in fishing industry.

The use of digital technologies like AI and ML in the fishing industry increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. With digital data and advanced data modeling and tracking applications, the fishing industry was able to provide efficient, safe, scalable, and cost-effective ways to support countries’ efforts to ensure fisheries compliance.

Better Transparency with Digital Data

Transparency of data is essential for any organization as it ensures streamlining of business processes to drive better workflow and ensure your team actually achieves the given objective. In the fishing industry, transparency of information helps to generate the behavioral change that is required to ensure thriving fish populations and for the security of our oceans. The shift towards transparency needs to be accelerated so that those operating in the shadows have fewer places to hide.

Accurate data along with advanced technology helps consumers make better decisions about what they eat and understand how their choices impact the environment. For example, enterprises like Bumble Bee Foods provides their customers information on when and where the Fair-Trade tuna they are eating came from. Some other organizations have even introduced QR scan codes, that allow customers to scan the code using their smartphone to know about the provenance of their tuna and the responsible practices developed by these fisheries, and this helps them make better consumption choices. In Mexico, some seafood producers are giving consumers more information on what is on their plates. In Yucatan, grouper fishers are promoting traceability through a digital platform that tracks their vessels via satellite, sending information on where they are and what they are catching. Technology also allows small-scale fishers to generate information not just on fisheries, but about markets and this helps them make better business decisions and demonstrate their commitment to ocean conservation.

So, gathering information about fishing from various sources helps consumers make better choice for consumption and also helps to save the ocean’s resources. By converting all data into digital format with the help of document scanning services, the fishing industry can ensure high levels of compliance with fishing regulations, proper documentation of sustainable fishing practices, and access to markets that demand high levels of transparency and sustainability.