Home » Traceability » Blockchain Adoption for Fishery Supply Chain Traceability

Let’s Delve into the broad fishery industry and explore the Blockchain Adoption possibilities to improve fishery supply chain traceability.

The fishery is the industry that includes all activities related to catching fish and other sea creatures from rivers, lakes, and oceans. It involves fishing for food, selling fish, and fish farming. The fishery industry is a big industry, as it provides food and jobs for many people. Fish is the most widely consumed animal-based protein globally, and the market value of seafood is predicted to exceed 335 billion U.S. dollars by 2025. There are different ways to catch fish, like using nets or fishing rods. It’s important to fish responsibly and not catch too many fish so that there will be enough for the future.

We also need to protect the habitats where fish live and make sure we don’t harm other animals while fishing. There are people in the fishery industry who are following the wrong practices for fishery and causing damage to other creatures of the sea. There are incidents reported of following wrong practices in catching, transporting, and keeping fish in bad conditions and supplying unhealthy, low-quality fish or seafood into the market. To tackle this situation and provide healthy and quality seafood, traceability in fishery could be applied.

In the global seafood industry, traceability refers to the ability to track a product from its sale back to its origin, including all transactions and movements in between. Traceability is important for many reasons. Firstly, it ensures food safety by allowing the identification of potential risks and facilitating targeted recalls if necessary. Secondly, traceability helps verify the legality of seafood products, preventing illegal fishing and promoting sustainable practices. Lastly, as seafood is a highly traded commodity, traceability provides transparency and accountability throughout the supply chain.

Despite its importance, there is currently a lack of international standards and protocols for documentation and tracking in the seafood industry. In a recent study, it was observed that 60% of shrimp (seafood) were rejected due to excessive antibiotic use, highlighting a concern for product quality. Additionally, 94% of customers expressed a preference for complete transparency in the fishery supply chain, indicating that transparency plays a crucial role in fostering brand loyalty. Blockchain adoption is also transforming many industries and is showing significant improvement in supply chain traceability.

Traceability in fishery supply chain plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety of consumers and employees. By collecting data during traceability procedures, any outbreaks or contamination reports can be traced back to their source, allowing for swift action to address the issue. Furthermore, traceability enhances customer satisfaction as it gives assurance that the product received is exactly what was told when it was ordered. Blockchain Adoption in traceability system improves its efficiency and reduces cost.

Blockchain introduction

Blockchain is a decentralized, tamper-resistant digital ledger or distributed database that facilitates the secure and transparent recording, verification, and storage of information. It works through a network of computers, or nodes, where every node has a copy of the entire chain of blocks. Each block contains a list of transactions or data, which, once added, makes it almost impossible to change or manipulate the stored information. Blockchain’s immutability is enabled through cryptographic hashes and consensus algorithms. This technology has proven its eminence and is being implemented across multiple domains, not just solely in cryptocurrencies. Some examples are supply chain management, smart contracts, identity verification, and decentralized applications, which are revolutionizing industries with trust, efficiency, and accountability.

Blockchain traceability means adopting blockchain in a traceability supply chain system to provide the ability to track and trace the movement and history of data or transactions recorded on a blockchain. It involves the transparent and permanent recording of information at each step, ensuring a reliable and tamper-proof audit trail.

With Blockchain technology, every transaction or piece of data is added to a block, which is then linked to the previous block, creating a chain of blocks. This chain of blocks forms a decentralized ledger where every participant in the network has a copy of the entire transaction history.

Blockchain adoption in traceability allows anyone with access to the blockchain to verify and validate the authenticity and integrity of the recorded data. Each transaction is time-stamped and cryptographically secured, making it extremely difficult to alter or manipulate the information once it has been recorded.

This traceability feature is particularly valuable in industries such as supply chain management. It enables stakeholders to track the movement of goods, verify their origin and quality, and ensure compliance with standards and regulations. By providing an immutable record of transactions, blockchain adoption in traceability enhances transparency, trust, and accountability in various sectors.

PrimaFelicitas is a well-known name in the market, serving worldwide consumers by delivering projects based on Web 3.0 technologies such as AI, Machine Learning, and Blockchain. Our expert team will serve you by turning your great ideas into innovative solutions.

Advantages of Blockchain adoption in typical fishery traceability

The main advantages of Blockchain Adoption in typical fishery traceability are listed here:

  1. Transparency: Blockchain Adoption in fishery traceability enables transparent and immutable ledger, allowing stakeholders to track and verify seafood products’ entire journey. This transparency builds trust and confidence among consumers, ensuring they have access to accurate information about the origin, quality, and sustainability of the fish they purchase.
  2. Enhanced Traceability: Blockchain Adoption in fishery traceability enables the recording and storage of crucial data at each stage of the fishery supply chain. This includes information about catch location, fishing methods, processing, transportation, and distribution. Providing a comprehensive and transparent traceability system, blockchain helps with fraud prevention, mislabeling, and the sale of illegally caught or misreported fish.
  3. Improved sustainability: By blockchain adoption, it becomes easier to monitor and verify sustainable fishing practices. Blockchain technology allows for the tracking of certifications, such as those related to sustainable fishing methods or committed to following fair labour practices. By promoting eco-friendly sourcing, blockchain can contribute to fish stock conservation and the protection of marine ecosystems.

Challenges with blockchain adoption in fishery traceability

Challenges with blockchain adoption in fishery traceability

Challenges associated with blockchain adoption in fishery traceability are listed here:

  1. Implementation Complexity: Blockchain-based fishery traceability requires significant technological infrastructure and expertise. It can be challenging and complex to integrate existing systems, data standardization, and ensure compatibility among stakeholders.
  2. Cost: Blockchain technology Development and maintenance of the blockchain network can be expensive. So, small-scale fisheries or resource-constrained organizations will likely find it difficult to adopt blockchain technology.
  3. Data Accuracy and Trust: Blockchain relies on accurate and reliable data inputs. Ensuring the data integrity and trustworthiness of participants in the network is a challenge. Data verification protocols should be established to prevent potential inaccuracies or manipulations.
  4. Adoption and Collaboration: A widespread adoption of blockchain in the fishery industry requires collaboration among the various stakeholders involved, including fishermen, processors, distributors, regulators, and consumers. Getting consensus and cooperation among these diverse entities can be difficult, especially when it comes to establishing data standards, protocols, and governance models.

In spite of these challenges, the use of blockchain technology in tracing fishery products has great potential for enhancing transparency, sustainability, and trust in the fishery sector. This technology will continue to advance as more stakeholders acknowledge its advantages, So more challenges can be addressed, leading to wider adoption and impact as the technology advances.

How Blockchain Technology is revolutionizing the fishery industry

Blockchain technology is set to revolutionize how the fishery industry manages the traceability of seafood. By blockchain adoption in the fishery value chain, important data about the origin and movement of fish can be accurately tracked and verified. Consumers will have access to detailed information about the fish they purchase, including where it was caught or farmed, the methods used, and whether it meets sustainability standards. This transparency empowers consumers to make informed decisions and supports the demand for responsible and ethically sourced seafood. 

The blockchain adoption in fishery supply chains will improve profitability through automation, streamlining transactions, and reducing paperwork. This efficiency leads to cost savings and smoother operations for all participants in the supply chain. By integrating blockchain with other technologies like IoT sensors and devices, the traceability of fish can be further enhanced. Real-time data on factors such as temperature, location, and water quality can be collected and recorded on the blockchain, providing a more comprehensive and accurate picture of the fish’s journey.

In addition to regulatory support, a favorable regulatory environment is crucial to create a favorable environment for the adoption of blockchain and the protection of data privacy and security. The future of blockchain in fishery traceability holds great promise. It offers increased transparency, and improved efficiency, and supports sustainable fishing practices all while protecting consumers’ interests. By harnessing the potential of blockchain, we can build a more trustworthy and responsible fishery industry that benefits consumers, stakeholders, and the environment alike.

Conclusion

The fishery is a broad industry that consists of multiple stakeholders. The fishery industry is poorly affected by following wrong practices, contributing to poor-quality and unsafe seafood products. Traceability is an important mechanism in the seafood industry, just like in any other supply chain, as it enables improving quality and transparency in food, handling, and transit of food throughout the supply chain. By blockchain adoption, fishery supply chains can become more transparent and sustainable.

Blockchain enables real-time tracking of the fishery supply chain, providing accurate information about its origin and journey. Blockchain integration allows for the monitoring and verification of sustainable fishing practices, promoting responsible sourcing. The trust and collaboration fostered by blockchain contribute to stronger partnerships between stakeholders, leading to effective traceability systems. Using blockchain technology empowers the fishery industry to build transparent and sustainable supply chains, guarantee fair pricing to farmers, enhance consumer trust, deliver safe and quality products, and support responsible marine eco-friendly practices.

Planning a new project or wish to upgrade your existing project to Web 3.0? Our expert team of professionals will assist you in every step of your development journey.