Strengthening Blue Economy, KKP and YKAN Launch Fisheries Data Innovation E-Logbook V3

Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), through the Directorate General of Capture Fisheries, together with Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN), supported by the Tuna Consortium and Cisco, officially launched the Fishing E-Logbook Version 3 (V3) as a major milestone in the transformation of national fisheries governance. The launch was conducted by Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Sakti Wahyu Trenggono, on Monday, 6 October 2025, in Nusa Dua, Bali.

The launch of E-Logbook V3 marks a new era in recording fishing activities. E-Logbook V3 features digital fish species identification, accurate Fish Aggregating Device (FAD) location display, and automatic vessel position recording, effectively closing data gaps, particularly for regionally licensed vessels still not connected to the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS).

“The implementation of E-Logbook V3 can provide accurate data on fishing activities. Eventually, all fishing vessels will be able to implement E-Logbook V3, allowing us to know the exact amount of fish caught and honestly calculate the true potential stock of our fish resources,” stated Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono.

Sakti further highlighted that digital transformation in fisheries data will support KKP’s five priority programs, especially quota-based managed fishing.

Since 2018, KKP has introduced an Android-based E-Logbook, which has proven to improve fishermen’s compliance in reporting. Now, E-Logbook V3 comes with automatic fish identification capabilities, enhanced by YKAN’s FishFace artificial intelligence feature. E-Logbook V3 is expected to be widely adopted by fishermen throughout Indonesia. In this process, synergy between KKP and development partners is crucial to accelerate digital transformation.

“Sustainable fisheries management cannot be done alone. Collaboration and synergy between the government and development partners, such as YKAN, are key. The FishFace innovation is a real example of how artificial intelligence technology can support the national E-Logbook system. Through this cooperation, we are not only strengthening the fisheries data foundation but also building the basis for transparent, efficient, and fair fishery resource management for fishermen,” explained Lotharia Latif, Director General of Capture Fisheries.

This digital-based system also encourages efficient and adaptive recording aligned with technological advancements.

“We can no longer manage the sea conventionally. Technological innovations integrated with artificial intelligence will help ensure that every fish caught can be identified and recorded in real time. This is the key to truly realizing Indonesia’s blue economy,” said Syahril Abd Raup, Director of Fish Resource Management at KKP.

“Through this technology, catch data can be recorded more accurately and transparently, supporting science-based policymaking. We are committed to supporting KKP in expanding the implementation of E-Logbook V3, as we believe that digital innovations like this will help preserve fish resources while improving fishermen’s livelihoods across Indonesia,” said Muhammad Ilman, Ocean Program Director of YKAN.

Artificial Intelligence for More Accurate Fisheries Data

The biggest challenge in Indonesia’s fisheries management is the country’s extraordinary marine biodiversity. This complexity makes manual identification error-prone, time-consuming, and difficult for fish stock calculations.

FishFace was developed to address this challenge. Since 2017, the technology has enabled automatic identification of fish catches using facial recognition technology. Currently, FishFace can recognize more than 10 high-value tuna and snapper species, producing real-time data on fish stocks and catch locations.

“FishFace is an innovation to strengthen Indonesia’s fisheries data foundation. With accurate information, we can ensure management strategies that maintain fish stock sustainability while supporting fishermen’s welfare,” explained Glaudy Perdanahardja, YKAN’s Senior Manager for Sustainable Fisheries.

Glaudy added that FishFace’s capabilities will be expanded to identify 25 species of tuna and groupers in the future, representing at least 60% of tuna and grouper catch volumes.

FishFace has also been integrated into E-Logbook V3. The mechanism is simple: fishermen take photos of fish using a smartphone connected to the E-Logbook app. The system automatically identifies species, size, and weight with high accuracy, and the data is sent directly to the national database.

This integration is vital, as inaccurate fish identification data has often led to incorrect stock estimates. With the assistance of artificial intelligence, data uncertainty can be significantly reduced, providing a solid scientific basis for developing harvest strategies, quota allocations, and reporting to international organizations such as the Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (RFMO).

The launch of E-Logbook V3 and FishFace is concrete evidence that digital transformation in the fisheries sector is no longer a concept but a real step forward. Collaboration between the government, development partners, and fishermen is key to ensuring that every innovation works effectively in the field.

With multi-stakeholder support and technological innovation, Indonesia is taking a strategic step to safeguard sustainable fisheries while boosting the competitiveness of Indonesian fishery products in global markets.