Fish catch data plays a crucial role as one of the main inputs for analyzing fishing operations, with the ultimate goal of generating fisheries management policy recommendations. However, nationally collected fisheries data often contains anomalies.

These anomalies refer to discrepancies in parts of the fisheries database, which arise due to various data collection challenges in the field. Such anomalies often hinder the accurate and clear interpretation of data. Therefore, the Directorate of PSDI, as one of the key institutions responsible for fisheries data, considers validation efforts to be essential so that policies and programs formulated based on KKP data are robust and credible.

The Directorate of Fishery Resources Management, through the Working Group on EEZ and High Seas Waters, organized a Small-Scale Fisheries Data Validation Workshop for WPPNRI 715, 717, and 718. The three-day event took place from 26 to 28 February, 2025 in Jakarta and was attended by the 2024 fisheries data validation survey team from the Directorate of PSDI, the National Research and Innovation Agency, PUSDATIN, Secretariat of the Directorate General of PT DJPT, the Inspectorate General, and PMU CFI GEF6.

Putuh Suadela, Head of the Working Team on EEZ and High Seas Fish Resources at the Directorate of PSDI, stated that the event is essential for addressing issues in small-scale fisheries data from regencies or cities suspected of having anomalies—such as fluctuating data or time-series catch data that don’t match the fishing efforts. She further explained that the core issue often stems from a lack of enumerators relative to the size of their working areas. Moreover, the limited capacity of enumerators or validators in identifying fish species and fishing gear types contributes to inaccurate data reporting to the central government. “This is why we need an adequate number of enumerators and efforts to enhance their capacity through training and mentoring, which are vital for improving the quality of small-scale fisheries data,” Putuh said.

Anomalies in production, fishing operations, and small-scale vessel numbers were found in the 2024 data validation at several landing sites: Pulau Morotai Regency, Bitung City, Jayapura City, Biak City, Manokwari Regency, Southeast Maluku Regency, and Merauke Regency. These 2024 validation activities were financially supported by CFI Indonesia GEF6.

At the same event, Adipati Rahmat Gumelar, Project Manager of CFI Indonesia GEF6, elaborated on CFI Indonesia’s role in facilitating the fisheries data validation survey in 2024 and its continued support for 2025. According to him, the three-day workshop revealed that fisheries data contains some anomalies that need critical review. “Since evaluating the 2024 data validation results, CFI Indonesia has taken the initiative to not only conduct another validation survey in 2025 but also provide technical guidance to field enumerators, as data anomalies often arise from differing interpretations and standards among enumerators themselves,” Adipati explained.

Adipati also added that CFI Indonesia will increase its facilitation of E-Logbook Training and Practices for fishermen. This is an improvement compared to the previous year which only held a number of socialization activities. He hopes that there will be an improvement in the quality of fisheries data to support more accurate and convincing decision making.

It is hoped that this validation workshop will be able to formulate management patterns and strategies for sustainable utilization of small-scale fisheries resources in Indonesian waters. Additionally, it is also expected to support the assessment of fish resource stocks so that various policies taken in the future are increasingly able to guarantee the welfare of small-scale fishers in Indonesia.