Inspire Winner Scale Up Runner Up 2019: An integrated data pipeline for small-scale fisheries

The environmental, nutritional and economic contributions of small-scale fisheries to communities and households are unknown and invisible, due to a lack of data stemming from the difficulties inherent in a diverse and often isolated sector. All work to improve small-scale fisheries livelihoods such as supply chain enhancement, value-adding processing, or merely sustainable fisheries management, rely on data that are currently deficient or absent. This project set out to develop a digital solution to both the lack of data, and the common lack of technical capacity to interpret these data for informed decision-making.

This innovation leverages the power of information and communication technologies to connect SSF reporting notes digitally, and accelerate reporting and fisheries analytics to near real time. We combine catch reporting with high resolution, solar powered vessel tracking to fill large gaps in data and our understanding of small-scale fisheries production over time and space. With these data we can effectively guide development of effective, science driven policies to improve food security, nutrition and sustainable management of fish stocks in low-income countries.