The electronic catch documentation and traceability system (eCDT) is an application, or app, to monitor and ensure transparency and legality in certifying the origin of domestic fishing to satisfy European Commission requirements.
Electronic traceability for seafood products helps improve statistics and traceability for seafood caught by fishing vessels, creating favourable conditions and improving efficiency for fishermen and businesses.
Vũ Duyên Hải, Deputy Director of the Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that the implementation of the eCDT software system helps agencies better manage the fleet and landing output at each locality more efficiently, even if those ships dock and unload at other local ports.
At the same time, it also helps increase the responsibility of fishermen and businesses in implementing legal regulations on combatting illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
“Using this system, fishermen, fishing port management boards, border guards, fisheries departments and export businesses can save production costs and resources to carry out procedures following legal regulations,” Hải said.
According to the sub-department of fisheries, coastal provinces and cities have deployed the eCDT system at 80 fishing ports and fish boarding points.
The Department of Fisheries has issued accounts to five participants in the system related to the seafood exploitation – processing – export chain, including fishermen, the fishing port management board, the border guard, fisheries sub-departments and export enterprises.
The departments of Agriculture and Rural Development in provinces and cities have directed affiliated units to organise guidance and training for fishermen to use the software. Coastal cities and provinces arranged a workforce and equipment at fishing ports to support fishermen entering and exiting ports.
Head of Khánh Hòa Province’s Hòn Rớ Fishing Port Management Board Nguyễn Văn Ba said that the application of digital technology in fisheries management is an inevitable trend.
“When using the app well, management units will save a lot of time, labour, and costs, especially with the transparency of seafood product origin,” said Ba.
In the future, the software will also replace paper logs with electronic logs. Procedures for leaving and docking at ports will also be integrated into the software, helping increase the effectiveness of management by authorities.
When using the eCDT app, fishermen will find it very quick and convenient, and they do not need to carry documents or go to the port for check-in when completing departure/import procedures.
Moving forward, the app will also replace the current practice of recording paper logs in difficult conditions due to wind and waves at sea, limiting the possibility of errors and receiving timely support from management agencies when incidents occur at sea.
Management units will be able to conduct better inspections of fishing vessels entering and exiting ports. The use of the app will also aid the process of monitoring output at ports, increasing reliability and transparency, eliminating errors in monitoring fishing vessels entering and exiting the port, and issuing certificates of origin for aquatic products.
The implementation of the electronic seafood traceability system is an important step in the effort to remove the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning and improve the efficiency of fisheries industry management.
However, according to the Department of Fisheries, the implementation process still faces some difficulties and limitations, such as slow and inconsistent system implementation. The newly deployed software has caused some difficulties for fishermen when they first access the app and use it with their phones.
Fishermen need more guidance and training to use the app more smoothly when heading out to sea. Currently, the software is still in the testing process, so it will continue to be refined to make it as easy and convenient to use as possible.
To deploy the system effectively, it is necessary to supplement legal mechanisms in localities, upgrade information technology infrastructure at fishing ports, strengthen training and communications, as well as take strict measures to enforce compliance with regulations for organisations and individuals.
The Department of Fisheries should coordinate with localities to further promote the eCDT system and communication and training activities so that fishermen can access and use the software smoothly, added Hải. — VNS