The International Pole and Line Foundation (IPNLF) recently organised a groundbreaking Think Tank in Bali. This event was a significant milestone in IPNLF’s efforts to revolutionise small-scale tuna fisheries through innovation and technology. The event received strong commitment and support from international markets, technology providers, tech innovators, the donor community, and key global stakeholders.
The Think Tank brought together more than 40 participants from 14 countries, convening a diverse panel of experts worldwide to redesign fishing vessels to help solve some of the challenges faced by small-scale fisheries globally. This included international buyers and retailers such as Woolworths, Seafood Souq, ICV Africa, Anova Seafood, and Tri Marine. It also witnessed the active participation of Indonesian processors and exporters, such as NUSATUNA, PT Harta Samudra, PT SMS, and PT Nutrindo Fresfood Internasional, alongside technical and financial experts from South Africa, Maldives, Canada, Portugal, Australia, and Indonesia.
Craig Turley, IPNLF Fisheries Director, stated:
“Numerous organisations are currently working on ground-breaking technologies in isolation. However, the true innovation lies in bringing these entities together to collaborate and expedite the best solutions. This collective effort brought the vision of a technology-rich, environmentally sustainable small-scale fishery into a tangible reality.”
Objectives
One of the Think Tank’s primary objectives was to leverage technology to enhance small-scale fisheries’ safety and operational efficiency while upholding responsible fishing practices. The plan is to empower fishers as entrepreneurs and ocean stewards by integrating technology with traditional methods to ensure sustainable seafood production within the planet’s ecological limits. A key focus was redesigning small-scale fishing vessels during the event to improve operational efficiency, adapt to climate change, traceability, and comply with international market demands.
The invitation-only event ensured a focused and productive dialogue among informed groups, including technology and solutions providers, fisheries stakeholders, private sector representatives, donors, and impact investors. Notably, small-scale fishers played an integral role in the discussions and solutions, ensuring their perspectives and needs were central to the dialogue.
The two-day event deliberated on various challenges faced by small-scale fisheries and focused on leveraging knowledge, connections, and innovation to design a new fishing vessel of the future. Some critical challenges addressed included simplifying data capture for compliance through electronic catch documentation, improving operational efficiencies and safety at sea, enhancing vessel stability, and upgrading crew living and working conditions. One of the event’s outcomes was the formation of a solution-focused community. Secondly, clear steps were identified in continued follow-up discussions with engineers to take the draft designs to build these advanced fishing vessels of the future.
The IPNLF Think Tank in Bali aimed to usher in a new era in small-scale fisheries by blending tradition with innovation to ensure sustainable and responsible seafood production. Through collaboration and advanced technologies, IPNLF prioritises the well-being of coastal communities and the sustainability of tuna fisheries worldwide.
“Different perspectives and aspirations are heard in the room, where every aspect of tuna fisheries management is discussed, from renewable energy to quality
assurance–taking its core of the most important aspect of any fisheries: the vessel.
Cultivating valuable lessons from the fishers themselves – from the Maldives to Indonesia- had been critical for the dialogue, as they contemplated the presence of similarities and differences globally to come together as stewards of the sea.”
— Thilma Komaling,
Indonesia Tuna Consortium Strategic Lead, Resonance
About IPNLF
The International Pole and Line Foundation (IPNLF) is a global non-profit organisation that promotes responsible and sustainable one-by-one tuna fisheries, ensuring the well-being of coastal communities dependent on these fisheries. IPNLF works to transform small-scale fisheries into efficient, competitive businesses through innovation and technology, fostering sustainability and responsibility in seafood production.
Environmental sustainability in tuna fisheries can only be fully achieved by ending the overfishing and destructive fishing practices driving the degradation of already threatened marine species, habitats and ecosystems. Allied with its members, IPNLF demonstrates the value of one-by-one caught tuna to consumers, policymakers, and the supply chain. IPNLF works across science, policy and the seafood sector, using a solutions-focused approach with strategic guidance from our Board of Trustees and advice from our Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) and Market Advisory Group (MAG).