Fishery Data Collection for Fresh Fish Tomorrow!

This sentence has become a daily joke in our lives. However, is it true that there is still much fish in the sea?

One of the significant challenges in sustainable fisheries management in Indonesia is the need for more information about fish stocks. With sufficient data, we will know how many fish we catch, what species are increasingly scarce, and whether the way we catch fish considers environmental sustainability; if there is no such information, how can we figure out how to preserve it?

For this reason, YKAN has developed a fishery data collection method and technology called Crew-Operated Data Recording Systems (CODRS). 560 YKAN fishing partners implement this data collection system in 11 Fisheries Management Areas in Indonesia (WPP), which are directly involved in collecting data and information on the number of fish caught, fishing locations, and other additional information related to operational activities every time they go to sea. The CODRS method was developed in 2015 and has been widely applied since 2016.

Procedure for using CODRS:

• Fish caught by fishermen is placed on a measuring board;
• Then take a photo to find out the length and type;
• The photos are submitted to the YKAN research team in the field to identify the species and record the length;
• A verification process is carried out to ensure that the data has been processed correctly and is following the photos taken;
• The data is then stored in a database.

Using the CODRS method, YKAN collected data of 6 million images for snapper and grouper fisheries in 11 WPPs during the 2016-2022 period and around 700 thousand images for the tuna fishery in WPP 713, 714, and 715 during the 2017-2022 period. The data is then periodically submitted yearly to the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) to prepare a management strategy (Harvest Strategy) and Fisheries Management Plan to support sustainable fisheries.

Sustainable fisheries management is essential to utilize marine resources sustainably in the long term. Fish stock data provides up-to-date information on the status of capture fisheries and can also help manage our waters. That way, we can still eat delicious and abundant fresh sea fish in the future.