Ministry Recognizes MDPI for Consistent Support in Small-Scale Fishers’ Logbook Program

by: Zaki Tristi

Denpasar, August 22, 2024 – The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries recognized MDPI for its consistent dedication in assisting small-scale tuna fishers with logbook compliance. The award was presented during the 2024 Technical Meeting on Fishing Logbook, held at the Grand Keisha Hotel in Yogyakarta from August 20-23.

Aris Budiarto, Head of the Logbook and Quota Allocation Working Group at the Ministry, emphasized that the award acknowledges MDPI’s efforts and dedication in supporting the government’s logbook compliance program, which has improved both the quality and quantity of national fisheries data. Alongside MDPI, the Ministry also awarded the token to its partners that have successfully supported this program.

“MDPI excels in helping small-scale tuna fishers comply with logbook regulations. Data from small-scale fishers remains limited, so we hope MDPI continues its regular support,” Aris said on Wednesday (August 21).

Since 2016, MDPI has been assisting small-scale fishers with reporting their fishing activities. This includes educating them on the technicalities of logbooks, training them to report accurately, and actively monitoring compliance. With this experience, the Ministry has entrusted MDPI and other partners to participate in a series of Logbook Workshops, where they provide valuable insights into improving the program.

Feedback has included emphasizing the importance of recording effort data, understanding the impact of Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs), collecting data on interactions with protected species, incentivizing fishers to report their catches, and identifying and fixing bugs in the E-Logbook app.

Putra Satria Timur, MDPI’s Fisheries Lead, expressed his gratitude in receiving the recognition, noting that seemingly small efforts can make a significant impact. “NGO participation in the logbook program has improved national data quality for fisheries management, particularly from small-scale fishers,” Timur said.

Read also: Indonesia Leads the Way in Sustainable Tuna Fisheries

He also highlighted the award as a sign of small-scale fishers’ successful effort in complying with logbook reporting. “Not all of them struggle with technology. With the right assistance, they can contribute valuable data for fisheries management.”

MDPI’s achievements and recognition result from a well-planned and sustainable mentoring strategy. The organization has taken various approaches to assist with e-logbook completion, such as involving fishers’ family members, providing continuous support, educating fishers on the importance of fisheries data for sustainability, and helping them understand the crucial role of catch data in their financial and economic management.

Logbooks serve as essential tools for collecting catch data directly from fishers, including information on species, quantity, weight, and fishing locations. These data form the foundation for sustainable fisheries management.

Initially, many fishers found the logbook reporting process cumbersome, with some data points too complicated to understand. However, after years of assistance, fishers now comply with logbook regulations through the E-Logbook app, with their data directly stored in the Ministry’s database.

Read also: Fisher’s Catch Data Collection Dissemination in Minaesa Village

With this award, MDPI aims to continue contributing to the improvement of fisheries data quality and supporting small-scale fishers as they adapt to the technology and systems used for reporting their catches.