MDPI has been working in Seram, part of Maluku province, since 2015 when MDPI began implementing data collect activities. With over 6 years of implementation, MDPI’s site projects initially covered 3 areas including South Seram, North Seram, and Seram Bagian Timur. Currently, MDPI has been focusing all activities in South Seram to support data collection, eco-label certifications, and community organization. MDPI has been working across 6 villages, 10 landing sites, with 13 fisher associations and directly supporting 493 fishers located in North Seram, South Seram, and Seram Bagian Timur. Seram is the most vibrant site in the history of MDPI’s project sites.

1. FISHERIES IMPROVEMENT

MDPI implements port-side data collection activities in 10 landing sites. On the water, MDPI deploys onboard observers, spot trace, time-lapse cameras (TLC), pelagic data systems (PDS), reolink and trekfish. In order to increase traceability, transparency and safety in the fishery, MDPI has registered 122 vessels (pas kecil and BPKP). Data collected is uploaded into I-Fish, shared annually with fishers through a data sharing event, and bi-annually under a provincial-level management platform established by MDPI (an FCMC in Maluku province).

2. COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION

Understanding that increased availability of fisheries data is not enough, MDPI works on increasing local fishing communities’ welfare through capacity building and community organization. In South Seram, MDPI has helped establish a cooperative (Koperasi Nelayan Tuna Bersaudara) and empowers coastal community member through the formation of local “champions”. MDPI has assisted 45 fishers in receiving their kusuka cards and 126 with jasindo insurance.

3. CERTIFICATIONS – FTUSA AND MSC

MDPI has been implementing the FTUSA standard with South Seram fishers for 6+ years. The FTUSA supply chain includes 2 suppliers and 2 processors. With over 6 years of implementation, the South Seram FT Committee has received Rp 1.289.351.770 and North-East Seram FT Committee has received Rp 276.132.614 in premium payments. In a global achievement, the South Seram FTUSA fishers became MSC certified in April 2021.

4. BY THE NUMBERS

• Vessels: 379
• Fishers: 493
• Fisher Associations: 13
• Technology e-Monitoring: 770
• Total kg of port sampling: 254.928kg