Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability KDEs

Working Group 1: Defining, Aligning and Verifying Key Data Elements

Challenges:

To identify a basic set of consistently defined key data elements (KDEs) to be routinely collected and associated with seafood products. To define/identify authoritative sources of data for seafood KDEs. To identify and promote best practices in both the public and private sectors for the verification of information contained in seafood KDEs.

Rationale:

Regulatory and commercial demands are increasing the need for seafood vendors and regulators to have access to reliable information about fishing activities. However, there is currently no widespread agreement or practice regarding the kind, nature, and sources of fisheries information required. This lack of a common approach is a serious obstacle to efficiency, interoperability, and adequately harmonised regulations.

Global convergence around a standardised set of seafood key fisheries elements KDEs is a necessary precondition for efficient business practices, interoperable traceability, and aligned seafood trade regulations. Standardising seafood KDEs will require agreeing on their basic definitions as well as on the parameters for their technical content and the identification of their authoritative sources (for example: How is “location of fishing” to be described? Is there an authoritative list of fishing gear types?).

Working Group 1 will work towards articulating globalized standards for seafood KDEs, and will also seek to articulate aligned industry expectations around data verification practices.