1
Commonwealth Pacific Fisheries Profile
Capture fisheries within the region produce over 1,000,000 metric tonnes annually. Within the SIDS of the Commonwealth Pacific, a great deal of the food, well-being, way of life, fiscal revenue and employment is based on their fish stocks, especially tuna.
2
“The region’s fisheries, in particular those of SIDS, are heavily reliant on tuna fisheries for both economic development and food security.”
Digitalisation in Pacific 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.
Digitalisation within the Pacific Commonwealth fisheries faces multiple challenges. The region’s fisheries, in particular those of SIDS, are heavily reliant on tuna fisheries for both economic development and food security.1 Despite the Pacific region possessing the healthiest tuna stocks globally2 catches within the area are declining overall.3 Furthermore, these stocks are highly migratory and are predicted to head further east due to climate change.4 A 2021, a modelling study reported that at the current rate of warming, tuna catch rates within the waters of Pacific SIDS could decline by an average of 20 per cent by 2050.5 As a result, the sector needs to find alternative ways to add value to a revenue source that looks to be in consistent decline over the long term.
Pillar i
Digitalisation Innovations
Digital innovations in the Pacific’s fisheries have been described as “substantially underway” as there are several pilots and initiatives currently in progress.
Accessibility and knowledge of digital technologies within the region is considered “good”, but progress is disjointed and inconsistent.
“Accessibility and knowledge of digital technologies within the region is considered “good”, but progress is disjointed and inconsistent.”
Pillar ii
“Regional fisheries agencies over the years have invested heavily in improved data collection systems, and as a result, data for larger-scale offshore fisheries within the Pacific Islands is generally good.”
Pillar iii
Business Development Services
One of the greatest business development issues facing digitalisation within Pacific fisheries is “institutional inertia”, which refers to the resistance of the sector to change.
Government top-down data collection, management and storage approach makes it difficult for external companies to innovate and become involved in the fisheries sector.
“One of the greatest business development issues facing digitalisation within Pacific fisheries is institutional inertia.”
The Base
Enabling Environment for Digitalisation
Most innovation within the fisheries sector digitalisation journey is being undertaken by small-to-medium-sized fishing operators regarding product sales in the Pacific Islands.
The challenge faced by many relates to economies of scale – meeting the volume requirements that larger retailers face.
“Most innovation within the fisheries sector digitalisation journey is being undertaken by small-to-medium-sized fishing operators regarding product sales in the Pacific Islands.”
Footnotes
[1] Bell, J.D. Denina,I., Adams, T., Aumont, O., Calmettes, B., Clark, S., Dessert, M., Gehlen, M., Gorgues, T., Hampton, J., Hanich, Q., Harden-Davies, H., Hare, S.R., Holmes, G., Lehodey, P., Lengaigne, M., Mansfield, W., Menkes, C., Nicol, S., Ota, Y., Pasisi, C., Pilling, G., Reid, C., Ronneberg, E., Gupta, A.S., Seto, K.L., Smith, N., Taei, S., Tsamenyi, M., and Williams, P. (2021) ‘Pathways to Sustaining Tuna-Dependent Pacific Island Economies during Climate Change’. Nature Sustainability 1–11. doi:10.1038/s41893-021-00745-z.
[2] Healthy Tuna Stocks in the Pacific Pave the Way for Strategic Sustainable Fisheries Management (2019) The Pacific Community. https://www.spc.int/updates/news/2019/12/healthy-tuna-stocks-in-the-pacific-pave-the-way-for-strategic-sustainable
[3] Tuna | Species | WWF. World Wildlife Fund. https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/tuna
[4] Bell, J., K. Seto, Q. Hanich and S. Nicol (2021) ‘Climate Change is Causing Tuna to Migrate, Which Could Spell Catastrophe for the Small Islands That Depend on Them’. The Conversation. http://theconversation.com/climate-change-is-causing-tuna-to-migrate-which-could-spell-catastrophe-for-the-small-islands-that-depend-on-them-164000
[5] Bell, J.D. Denina,I., Adams, T., Aumont, O., Calmettes, B., Clark, S., Dessert, M., Gehlen, M., Gorgues, T., Hampton, J., Hanich, Q., Harden-Davies, H., Hare, S.R., Holmes, G., Lehodey, P., Lengaigne, M., Mansfield, W., Menkes, C., Nicol, S., Ota, Y., Pasisi, C., Pilling, G., Reid, C., Ronneberg, E., Gupta, A.S., Seto, K.L., Smith, N., Taei, S., Tsamenyi, M., and Williams, P. (2021) ‘Pathways to Sustaining Tuna-Dependent Pacific Island Economies during Climate Change’. Nature Sustainability 1–11. doi:10.1038/s41893-021-00745-z.