In a bid to support marine fisherfolks, the Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation (BOBP-IGO) has proposed a single, multi-purpose mobile application in the Bay of Bengal rim countries.
BOBP-IGO in association with Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute will pilot this initiative in India and eventually expand across Bay of Bengal rim countries in agreement with national governments.
This app is designed to streamline various tasks for fishers, including catch documentation, enhancing their market access, providing timely weather alerts, and connecting them to insurance schemes.
According to Dr P Krishnan, Director of BOBP-IGO, this innovation would help enhance the income of fishermen and improve their livelihoods.
Dr Krishnan emphasized that reliable and timely catch data are crucial for effective stock assessment and management. “Current systems in India often underestimate artisanal catches and involve manual processes that hinder traceability, leading to inefficiencies”, he said.
Drawing parallels to South Africa’s ABALOBI app, which has successfully improved fish stock resilience and fisher livelihoods, Dr. Krishnan underlined that a similar digital tool could empower Indian fishers. “This is not just about compliance; it’s about empowering communities with information, ensuring sustainability, and giving them better market opportunities,” he said.
The app will also serve as a bridge between traditional fishers and policymakers by creating a fisher-led data pipeline, offering near-real-time insights into fish stock status, and supporting evidence-based decision-making in multispecies, multi-gear fisheries, Dr Krishnan said.
Incentives
To improve catch documentation, the proposed app seeks to encourage voluntary reporting by fishers through incentives such as safe-harbour provisions ensuring that reported data will be used for scientific purposes only with full confidentiality.
“The Bay of Bengal region, having over 50% shared fish stocks in South Asia and more than 60% in Southeast Asia, cannot afford fragmented data and weak reporting systems. Cooperation among countries is a necessity.
This digital tool will also feed into a fisher-led data pipeline, offering real-time insights for stock assessment starting with species like tuna and perches. Officials in various countries will be trained to use the dashboard for evidence based fisheries management”, Dr Krishnan added.
BOBP-IGO is a Regional Fisheries Advisory Body (RFAB) of the countries bordering the Bay of Bengal region, Bangladesh, India, Maldives and Sri Lanka. It serves as the think tank on transboundary and contemporary national issues of the member countries concerning fisheries management.
