• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

SALT.

Search Toggle
  • What is Salt?
  • Principles
  • Seascape Map
  • Story Hub
  • Supply Chain
  • Dive Deeper
  • Search Toggle
  • Community Feature
  • SALT Feature

SALT Grantee Final Update: Consultation Workshop on the National Roadmap and Guidelines for e-logbook and eCDT in Vietnam

February 10, 2022
image-id-1268089

From 2020 to 2021, SALT partnered with Vietnam’s Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) to conduct learning events and knowledge capture to inform Vietnam’s National  Guidelines and Roadmap for electronic catch documentation and traceability (eCDT). In collaboration with the Department of Fisheries (DFish) and sub DFish in Binh Dinh province, MCD conducted pilot projects to understand the challenges and motivations when implementing seafood traceability systems.

picture of the workshop
Post pilot workshop to review the system (Photo by MCD)

Improving Data Collection to Combat IUU Fishing

Implementing traceability systems on a national scale requires multi-stakeholder collaboration, a clear roadmap, and government’s strong will. In September 2021, Vietnam’s prime minister requested his government’s ministries and agencies to take action to end IUU fishing by the end of 2021 to lift the European Commission’s yellow card. 

In order to improve the data collection at sea—the first and the most complicated step in supply chain data collection—DFish has been working to implement e-logbook systems nationwide.

The pilot projects that the DFish and MCD conducted in 2020 captured the challenges and motivations for implementing e-logbook and traceability systems from stakeholders such as ship owners, fisheries management officers, the fishing port management board, and the middle(wo)men.

photo of the final workshop
Many participants attended the workshop virtually due to COVID-19 (photo by MCD)

Lessons Learned and Next Steps in Vietnam

To discuss the key findings from the pilot projects, MCD hosted a consultation workshop with support from DFish to discuss the roadmap and guidelines for e-logbook and traceability. Over 40 government, NGO, and industry representatives attended the workshop.

During the workshop, attendees discussed results and lessons identified from pilot projects in several provinces in Vietnam, including MCD’s pilot project with tuna vessels in Binh Dinh province. The pilot projects proved that fishers can fully adapt to electronic applications (e-logbook) with appropriate support and regulatory frameworks, such as implementing devices and guidelines, capacity building workshops, and coordination of local fisheries management agencies and technology solution providers.

Learn more about lessons and gaps identified in pilot projects

Several limitations and gaps were identified from e-logbook pilot projects, including communication among actors, technology adoption, and the participation of different actors engaged in the supply chain.

Click here to view this table on full screen.

For a general conclusion of the workshop, the Director-General of DFish, Mr. Tran Dinh Luan, affirmed that implementing electronic traceability is essential for Vietnam’s seafood supply chains. As a first step, the DFish plans to issue “The National Standards for e-logbook Guidance for the eCDT System” by the end of 2022, which primarily focuses on providing a framework for e-logbook implementation.

The DFish and fisheries organizations plan to continue piloting e-logbook systems to expand this effort on a national scale. Meanwhile, DFish will continue coordinating with related parties, such as businesses, technology providers, fisheries organizations, and NGOs, to support the capacity building of fishers to implement the technology.

MCD progress as SALT small grantee

Video produced by MCD
The workshop was featured in multiple Vietnamese national media.

English: 

  • Vietnam’s fisheries sector to apply high-tech to ensure traceability

Vietnamese:

  • Ứng dụng công nghệ thông tin để truy xuất nguồn gốc thủy sản tại Việt Nam 
  • Ứng dụng công nghệ để truy xuất nguồn gốc thuỷ sản

Last but not least, SALT appreciates MCD’s expertise and ability to facilitate multi-stakeholder collaborations to continue moving the conversation forward. Please watch the video clip submitted by MCD, which summarizes the amazing work they completed during 2020-2021!  Cảm ơn bạn!

Special thanks to:

headshot of Ms.Than Thi Hien
Ms.Than Thi Hien
MCD Vice-director
Thu Hue, Nguyen,
Ms.Nguyen Thu Hue
Founder and executive director of MCD
Share:

More Stories

Taking Stock cover page
  • Community Feature

FROM FiTI: TAKING STOCK – Online Transparency of Fisheries Management Information

May 25, 2022
photo: AFO staff members
  • Community Feature

Q&A with Aqua-Farms Organization: Applying the Comprehensive Traceability Principles in Tanzania

May 16, 2022
photo of small boats
  • SALT Feature

Promoviendo el Espíritu de Colaboración en América Latina y el Caribe Través de los Principios de Trazabilidad de los Productos del Mar

April 20, 2022
photo of small boats
  • SALT Feature

Bringing Seafood Traceability Principles and the Spirit of Collaboration to Latin American and the Caribbean

April 20, 2022
Octopus fisheries in Tanzania
  • Community Feature
  • SALT Feature

Collaborative Traceability Project Brings Triple Impact to Tanzanian Fisheries

March 21, 2022
Header for SEAFOOD source article
  • Community Feature

From Seafood Source: Better data in the time of COVID-19: Opportunities for advancing eCDT in wild-capture fisheries

February 24, 2022
  • Community Feature
  • SALT Feature

SALT Grantee Final Update: Consultation Workshop on the National Roadmap and Guidelines for e-logbook and eCDT in Vietnam

February 10, 2022
What's next in 2022 title
  • SALT Feature

SALT’s Successes in 2021 and What’s Next in 2022

February 8, 2022
Vericatch title page
  • Community Feature

From Vericatch: Why Is Traceability Important For The Seafood Supply Chain – Q&A With Julian Hawkins

January 18, 2022
RECEIVE UPDATES FROM SALT SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER

Footer Logo
  • What is Salt?
  • Principles
  • Seascape Map
  • Story Hub
  • Supply Chain
  • Dive Deeper
  • Linkedin
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy

© 2022 SALT

This product is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of FishWise and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.