Abstract

Embracing digital technologies is no longer a luxury but a necessity for sustainable and thriving small-scale fisheries. However, data scarcity hampers effective management and decision-making (Gill et al. 2019). Conventional fisheries data collection systems are often laborious, relying on manual data recording and analysis. Furthermore, the process of moving and processing data from the point of collection into management decision-making is often slow or non-existent (Bradley et al. 2019). The current state of digital innovations within the Caribbean’s fisheries sector is considered “low”, with fishers in the region mainly relying on basic digital solutions and services such as voice calls, WhatsApp messaging and Microsoft Word and Excel for data collection and storage (The Commonwealth 2023). Despite the low uptake of digital technology in Caribbean fisheries, there are some important solutions and services in early developmental stages, with pilots currently being undertaken (The Commonwealth 2023). Fishers have also shown interest in using digital technology with the use of apps such as the Fisheries Early Warning and Emergency Response (FEWER).

PDF Preview