The ocean and freshwater bodies of the world are under growing pressure from pirated fishing, over-fishing, and climatic stress. While seafood demand is growing and sustainable value chains have become a necessity, seafood companies and fisheries, aquaculture businesses alike, are looking toward new technology in the form of traceability enhancement, efficiency, and compliance with regulations. Among the most exciting solutions in this initiative is the employment of RFID tags—providing a new generation of management control and visibility for responsible management of ocean resources.
Barriers to Sustainable Aquaculture and Fisheries
The ultimate objectives of sustainable aquaculture and fisheries address some of the key barriers within the industry:
Traceability- Knowing where all fish or shellfish were obtained from, how it was transported, and how it were treated upon receiving it, is all critical from a food safety, transparency to consumers, and regulatory compliance perspective.
Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing- Traceability throughout supply chains tends to facilitate illegal fishing practices ,which harm marine ecosystems and legal fishers.
Certification Requirements- There is a growing demand from international markets for suppliers to provide traceable assurance that continues to provide seafood that meets environmental and social expectations.
Inventory Management/Control- Aquaculture requires timely precise data to make decisions about feed management, the stock and harvesting through the production cycle.
Environmental Considerations- All aquaculture-related management considerations: feed management, bycatch, and overfishing all deplete natural resources, which do not promote long-term sustainability.
How RFID Tags Support Sustainable and Transparent Operations
RFID (radio frequency identification) tags - durable, tiny microchips that are affixed to gear, packages and even aquatic species - contain unique, digital codes. These tags can be automatically and wirelessly read by RFID readers (without the excessive harsh environmental) . This is how they are changing things:
End-to-End Traceability
Each fish, net, or gear export containing RFID can be traced back from the capture or hatchery, in transit, through processing, and retailing distribution. Each step is automatically logged by RFID readers and provide a digital record to attest origin, species, handling, and chain-of-custody.
IUU Fishing Mitigation
RFID assists law enforcement officials and authorized operators in verifying legal harvest and transport of aquatic commodities. Branded boats, gear, and produce enable the officials to effectively inspect and certify on board, in harbors, and in markets.
Smart Inventory and Process Management
RFID tag tracking monitors feeding habits, stock density, equipment maintenance, and harvesting periods within aquaculture facilities. Knowledge enhances sustainable planning, minimizes waste, and maximizes operations—enabling more sustainable growth.
Certification and Consumer Trust
Near-instant access to electronic records allows producers merely to prove certification for programs such as MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) or ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council). Retailers and consumers have more trust in sourcing, with more informed buying from responsible producers.
Regulatory Reporting and Analysis
RFID makes precise and automated data capture, making reporting to regulators easy and enabling sophisticated analysis for resource management and environmental monitoring.
Industry Examples
Jumbo seafood firms apply RFID to monitor valuable shellfish and fish to avoid fraud and allow sustainability claims.
Government fisheries agencies apply RFID-tagged equipment to fight illegal fishing and quotas.
Fisheries apply RFID to increase automation of feed, grading, and harvest recording to better utilize resources and enhance biosecurity.
Poxo's role in sustainable fisheries innovation
Poxo provides robust, waterproof RFID tags, readers, and integrated software solutions made specifically for fisheries and aquaculture applications. The solution of Poxo facilitates sustainable traceability, effective management, and simpler compliance for companies that share their passion for the conservation of aquatic ecosystems while growing their businesses.