Fishing for Fishing Data

The development of newer and more advanced technologies for improved risk-assessment, coupled with adequate regulations, pollution control measures and crackdown of IUU fishing will ensure that our great-grandchildren will still be able to sit alongside us, enjoying a plentiful serving of ikan bakar.

As the largest archipelagic country in the world with 70% of its territory consisting of territorial, archipelagic and inland waters, Indonesia is tightly linked to the marine industry as one of its core sectors. With fish consumption making up 52% of all animal-based protein in the Indonesian diet and fisheries providing 3.8 million fishermen and 2.2 million fish farmers with direct employment, fisheries are the heart of Indonesia and its culture.

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With the nation’s rising demand of fish for consumption and exports, many fishing companies seek to fulfill this demand while maximizing profits, thus resulting in unethical fishing practices like the use of cantrang, pukat, trawlers and bombs. These practices have caused fish stocks around the world to decline, with nearly half of the nation’s wild fish stocks being overfished (World Bank, 2014). While illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing has played a  major role in the depletion of national fish stocks, legal fishing along with the expansion of the domestic fishing fleet has impacted almost all parts of the country.

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Overfishing and poor fishery management lead to 40% of Indonesian seafood catch being classified as waste or loss. In order to solve this issue, we have to address the lack of data circulating between fisheries, wherein 90% globally lack stock assessment data because of its high cost. A more cost-effective method that is currently being developed is through the implementation of artificial intelligence and machine learning.

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Artificial intelligence can be utilized to provide data about fish movement using environmental sensors, monitoring systems, drone imagery and machine learning. Data can also be collected in the form of video footage and the monitoring of vessel sailing patterns. Cloud computing will then be used to produce a forecasting model that can give recommendations on catch limits and bycatch or discard regulations. Risk assessments can also be performed through the assessment of fish stocks. Compliance to these recommendations will then be enforced by reporting fleets deviating from these regulations. For example, fleets committing overfishing and foreign boats entering Indonesia’s waters. The data produced will receive more acknowledgement as it is a standardized method to track and monitor fishing activities. Some examples of these newly developing systems are Webcontrol Pesca and AquaCloud. Artificial Intelligence removes the possibility of human error and eliminates the need of human resources for individual data-collecting.

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Indonesians have fished sustainably for thousands of years through traditional fishing methods. However, in an era where handline fishing cannot bridge the nations increasing demand for fish, the principle of ‘one hook one fish’ needs to be adapted and modernized through the development of technology.

The development of newer and more advanced technologies for improved risk-assessment, coupled with adequate regulations, pollution control measures and crackdown of IUU fishing will ensure that our great-grandchildren will still be able to sit alongside us, enjoying a plentiful serving of ikan bakar.