Fisher and Trader Responses to Traceability Interventions in Indonesia

Abstract

Calls for increased traceability of seafood have been frustrated by a poor understanding of the social dynamics shaping the flow of fish and information in global value chains. Contrasting with utilitarian and regulatory approaches, this article proposes a social practices intervention framework to understand the effect of traceability interventions ensuing from the EU IUU regulation and Fair Trade USA seafood certification program on fishers and traders operating in remote tuna landing sites in Indonesia. The framework demonstrates how the success or failure of traceability interventions depends on both alignments with (1) the performance of "targeted" and (2) "non-targeted" value chain practices as well as (3) "non-targeted" practices adjacent to the value chain. We conclude that the social practices intervention framework can provide improved insight and guidance on the uptake of traceability and other market-based governance approaches across a range of locally embedded fisheries landing sites. ARTICLE HISTORY

Scrutinizing environmental governance in a digital age: New ways of seeing, participating, and intervening

“…13,79,80 Furthermore, when participating, small-scale producers such as fishers might face new informational demands, such as record keeping of their catch, as additional burden, particularly if these new demands do not fit well with existing practices. 81 What is more, by developing or using digital technologies in global supply chains, corporate actors, such as multinational food companies or supermarkets, can promote their own understanding of what sustainability is and how it should be assessed and certified. In global supply chains, corporate actors already apply artificial intelligence to enhance energy efficiency and reduce waste in their processes and operations.…”

Collateral damage? Small‐scale fisheries in the global fight against IUU fishing

“…Although small‐scale fisheries have been given some concession in the design of the EU regulation, resulting in simplified catch certificates for instance, small‐scale fisheries are nevertheless being facilitated to verify their catch and provide landing documentation for individual vessels, and in doing so gaining or maintaining access to export markets (see Doddema et al., 2018; Duggan & Kochen, 2016). Difficulties with compliance have been noted, such as how to effectively validate the data entered by the captains of fishing vessels given insufficient logistics and infrastructure available at provincial landing sites as well as the absence of government rules to oblige small‐scale vessels to produce catch documentation (Doddema, Spaargaren, Wiryawan, & Bush, 2020; Siriraksophon, Kawamura, & Imsamrarn, 2016). Perhaps more importantly, these informational demands incur negative material consequences for small‐scale fisheries.…”

“…Difficulties with compliance have been noted, such as how to effectively validate the data entered by the captains of fishing vessels given insufficient logistics and infrastructure available at provincial landing sites as well as the absence of government rules to oblige small-scale vessels to produce catch documentation (Doddema, Spaargaren, Wiryawan, & Bush, 2020;Siriraksophon, Kawamura, & Imsamrarn, 2016). Perhaps more importantly, these informational demands incur negative material consequences for small-scale fisheries.…”

Assembling tuna traceability in Indonesia

“…For instance, actors in the tuna supply chain may identify with the goals of traceability system, as observed through common patterns of practices (sayings and doing) related to fishing, landing, processing and/or data collection (e.g. Doddema et al 2020). Alter-natively they may not identify with the system and continue practices that are aligned but do not identify with traceability, or that are antagonistic to the goals of traceability.…”