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Commonwealth Asia Fisheries Profile
Asia’s fisheries sector is considered “productive”, with South Asia’s annual capture fisheries production at approximately 8.5 million metric tonnes.
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“Asia’s fisheries sector predominantly revolves around SSF, and there is a heavy regional reliance on fisheries for nutrition and livelihoods.”
Digitalisation in Asian fisheries
The state of digital fisheries in the region is assessed using the digital fisheries framework described under the methodology section.
It consists of (I) digital innovations, (II) data infrastructure, (III) business development services, and (IV) the enabling environment for the digitalisation of fisheries.
Asia’s fisheries sector predominantly revolves around SSF, and there is a heavy regional reliance on fisheries for nutrition and livelihoods. As such, many of Asia’s coastal fisheries are under pressure. Digitalisation within the sector represents an opportunity to improve current fisheries management practices and thus improve local fisheries sustainability, food security and the well-being of fishing communities.1 Current management in the region, however, generally lacks appropriate frameworks to support the adoption of digitalisation. Currently, there are common trends that tend towards exclusivity, particularly for lower income fishers and women working within the sector. Therefore, another important challenge is ensuring digitalisation within the region is inclusive.
Pillar i
Digital Innovations
Most digital innovations within Asia’s fisheries sector are in the research, development and formation stages, with few in the implementation or operational phases.
Although there are lots of digital innovations available, uptake is vastly hindered due to poor network coverage in coastal areas.
“Most digital innovations within Asia’s fisheries sector are in the research, development and formation stages, with few in the implementation or operational phases.”
Pillar ii
Data Infrastructure
Generally, the fisheries data infrastructure across Asia is considered poor.
While most Asian countries have some level of data reporting and data generating infrastructure, a significant amount of data collection is still undertaken using paper and relies on manual data entry and analysis.
“A significant amount of data collection is still undertaken using paper and relies on manual data entry and analysis.”
Pillar iii
Business Development Services
Business development services within Asia’s fisheries sector are generally very limited and suffer from similar issues related to digital innovations and data infrastructure.
Somewhat of a charity-like mentality across Asia exists when it comes to the development of new innovations.
“Somewhat of a charity-like mentality across Asia exists when it comes to the development of new innovations.”
The Base
Enabling Environment for Digitalisation
Enabling environments for digitalisation vary across the Asian Commonwealth countries although there are some clear patterns pertinent to all.
The main hurdles include connectivity for the use of mobile devices which is still broken and often very poor offshore, the high cost versus low return on investment of digitalisation technologies and a lack of clear standards promoting their uptake.
“The main hurdles include connectivity for the use of mobile devices which is still broken and often very poor offshore, the high cost versus low return on investment of digitalisation technologies and a lack of clear standards promoting their uptake.”
Footnotes
[1] Mozumder, M.M.H. Pyhala, A., Wahab, M.A., Sarkki, S., Schneider, P., Islam, M.M. (2019) ‘Understanding Social-Ecological Challenges of a Small-Scale Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha) Fishery in Bangladesh’. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16, 4814.