SALT.

Comprehensive Traceability Principles

  • Principles
  • About the Principles
  • Apply Them
  • Resources
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Use data to inform decision-making

Put the necessary information into the hands of the right people in a timely manner, so they can act upon it and make data-driven decisions while designing, implementing, and improving the eCDT program.
Full description
Conduct internal research (e.g., within your own agency's programs as a government entity, or within your own supply chain as a company) to understand the supply chain and existing data and governance systems. Conduct external research to let other seafood traceability pilots and case studies inform the design and approach. If a traceability system is already in place, utilize monitoring and evaluation tools to assess eCDT program performance (including worker welfare) and identify opportunities for adaptive management.

APPLY THE PRINCIPLE

There are three main phases to building an electronic catch documentation and traceability (eCDT) program:

Initiate—Includes conducting early research, setting goals, and engaging stakeholders.
Design—Includes identifying technology, assigning responsibilities, and creating systems to support the program.
Implement—Includes piloting the program, adaptively managing it, and scaling it.

Here you can see how this principle manifests throughout each phase:

  • Learn from existing programs 
    • Review past eCDT programs and lessons learned to avoid common pitfalls 
  •  Conduct research, assessment, or gap analyses on the existing programs and enabling environment to identify supporting regulatory frameworks, enforcement, and political will
    • Identify and access what exists to support the comprehensive eCDT program (i.e., infrastructure, data architecture, regulatory measures, relevant initiatives). Check for norms, policies, and government enforcement regarding health and safety, core human rights principles (i.e. the ILO core conventions), and right to free speech without fear of retribution to stay abreast of the law or identify any human rights gaps
  •  Characterize supply chain
    • Conduct a general overview of involved fisheries, including current catch documentation, reporting, and social responsibility data collection practices across government agencies 
  •  Assess existing exposures and risks 
    • Assess existing exposures and risks of both 1) Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing for relevant stocks and supply chains, and 2) human rights abuse for people working in or associated with relevant stocks and supply chains, including enabling mechanisms to strengthen policy for worker protections and/or general social safeguards 

Relevant Guidance

  • Guidance Document

Assessing Fisheries in a New Era: Extended Guidance for Rapid Appraisals of Fisheries Management Systems

USAID Oceans and Fisheries Partnership (USAID Oceans)
2019
This handbook provides new and extended guidance on appraising fisheries management systems from the 1996-released Rapid Appraisal of Fisheries Management Systems Handbook. This guide presents updated concepts and methodologies for… Read More about Use data to inform decision-making

Use data to inform decision-making

  • Website

Dive Deeper

Seafood Alliance for Legality and Traceability (SALT)
Browse SALT’s one-stop-shop of traceability resources. Dive deeper into the global collection of resources to improve traceable, responsible, and legally harvested seafood.
Find More Relevant Resources
  • Plan to adaptively manage the eCDT program 
    • Build in designated time periods for monitoring and adaptation. Design the program with a forward-thinking mindset by enabling possible use of modern and emerging technology in data analytics
Relevant Guidance
  • Guidance Document

Program Cycle Discussion Note: Adaptive Management

USAID
2018
Discussion Notes explores adaptive management as one of the core principles of the Program Cycle in management approaches. This note describes learnings and practices in adaptive management processes throughout the… Read More about Use data to inform decision-making
  • Guidance Document

Supporting Adaptive Management

Pasanen, T. & Barnett, I.
2019
The aim of this working paper is to introduce a small set of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) tools and approaches and to highlight their usefulness. Adaptive management facilitates M&E within… Read More about Use data to inform decision-making
Find More Relevant Resources
  • Utilize monitoring and evaluation tools to assess eCDT program performance and identify opportunities for adaptive management 
    • Adapt and scale technology based on user feedback
Relevant Guidance
  • Guidance Document

Program Cycle Discussion Note: Adaptive Management

USAID
2018
Discussion Notes explores adaptive management as one of the core principles of the Program Cycle in management approaches. This note describes learnings and practices in adaptive management processes throughout the… Read More about Use data to inform decision-making
  • Guidance Document

Monitoring and Evaluation Framework: Improving food security & reducing poverty through intra-regional fish trade

World Fish
2017
This framework provides a description of practical information the Fish Trade project requires for operationalizing and implementing a functioning monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework, enabling results for decision making. This… Read More about Use data to inform decision-making
  • Tool / Toolkit

The Fisheries Governance Tool

MRAG Americas and the Walton Family Foundation
The Fisheries Governance Tool provides indicator-based analyses to determine the performance of countries’ fisheries management systems. This diagnostic tool can measure progress over time of fisheries management by identifying gaps… Read More about Use data to inform decision-making
Find More Relevant Resources