Major destination countries such as the United States, the European\nUnion, and Japan are increasingly demanding traceability,\nsustainability, and social compliance for every product entering their\nmarkets. In this context, traceability is no longer an added value but a\n\u2018ticket to entry\u2019 into the global market.<\/p>\n
This shift is not without consequences. Various regulations, from the\nSeafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) in the United States to\ntraceability policies in the European Union, are tangibly altering the\nway fisheries product trade operates.<\/p>\n
Compliance is no longer merely administrative but has become part of\nproduction cost structures. Several international studies even indicate\nthat implementing digital traceability systems can increase production\ncosts by 2-5 per cent, while the need for certifications and routine\naudits can add annual operational burdens of tens of thousands of\ndollars for businesses.<\/p>\n
Amid this new landscape, Indonesia has little choice but to adapt. An\nintegrated traceability system has become an urgent need to ensure that\nevery exported fish can be tracked from its origin, distribution\nprocess, to the hands of consumers. This is the context in which the\nNational Fish Traceability and Logistics System (STELINA) was born.<\/p>\n
However, viewing STELINA merely as a digitalisation project is too\nnarrow a perspective. At its core, STELINA is an effort to transform the\nfisheries ecosystem comprehensively, from upstream to downstream.<\/p>\n
The system not only changes how data is recorded but also how\nbusinesses interact, how supply chains are managed, and how trust is\nbuilt in global markets.<\/p>\n
In practice, STELINA integrates various stages in the supply chain,\nstarting from fish capture by fishermen, aquaculture by farmers,\ndistribution, to processing at fish processing units (UPI).<\/p>\n
Each stage is expected to generate electronically documented and\ninterconnected data. With this approach, transparency no longer relies\non claims but on a verifiable real-time system.<\/p>\n
For global markets, this approach is highly relevant. International\nregulations demand clear evidence that fishery products do not originate\nfrom illegal practices, do not damage the environment, and meet social\nstandards.<\/p>\n
Without a system capable of addressing these demands, the\ncompetitiveness of Indonesian products will be eroded by other countries\nthat are better prepared.<\/p>\n
At this point, it is important to learn from competitor countries.\nCountries like Vietnam and Thailand, for instance, have adapted earlier\nto global traceability demands, particularly after facing pressure from\nthe European Union regarding illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU)\nfishing practices.<\/p>\n
They have strengthened electronic logbook recording systems, improved\ndata integration between businesses and regulators, and promoted supply\nchain consolidation to make oversight easier.<\/p>\n
In the shrimp sector, Ecuador has gone even further by building an\nexport-based traceability system integrated directly with major buyers,\nthereby accelerating verification processes while increasing market\ntrust.<\/p>\n
The experiences of these countries show one thing: traceability is\nnot just about technology but about ecosystem readiness.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, this transformation does not come without challenges.\nFrom the perspective of businesses, particularly fish processing units\n(UPI), implementing traceability systems introduces new dynamics that\nare not simple.<\/p>\n
UPIs have traditionally been in a strategic position as connectors\nbetween upstream and downstream, as well as the parties responsible for\nensuring compliance with export market standards. In practice, UPIs\noften have to bridge data gaps from upstream sources that are not fully\nwell-documented.<\/p>\n
For example, UPI raw material sources come from many fishermen and\nfarmers with highly diverse business scales. Data on fish origins, pond\nlocations, feed usage, to harvest histories are often not recorded\nconsistently.<\/p>\n
In such conditions, the demand to provide complete and accurate data\npotentially shifts the verification burden to UPIs. Not infrequently,\ndownstream businesses must perform manual re-validations to ensure the\nsubmitted data meets buyer standards.<\/p>\n
Additionally, there is concern that if not designed simply and\nintegrated, STELINA could add new administrative burdens. Layered data\ninput obligations, differences in formats between systems, and potential\nduplication of reporting with other platforms could reduce operational\nefficiency. In the short term, this risks lowering competitiveness,\nespecially for medium-scale businesses with relatively limited\nmargins.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, upstream conditions still face fundamental\nchallenges. Recording practices are still largely manual, digital\nliteracy is uneven, and data standards are not fully uniform. This\nfragmentation makes system integration a major task that cannot be\nsolved solely through a technological approach.<\/p>\n
This is where it is important to view STELINA more realistically. The\nsystem cannot stand alone as a digital solution but must run alongside\ncapacity building for businesses, simplification of data standards, and\nharmonisation with existing systems. Without that, the emerging risk is\nwhat is known as \u2018compliance burden shifting\u2019, where the compliance\nburden is concentrated at one point in the supply chain.<\/p>\n
The government recognises that this process requires a gradual\napproach. STELINA implementation is designed to start with businesses\nthat already have digital readiness and are export-oriented, so they can\nserve as examples of best practices. This approach also provides room\nfor adjustments based on feedback from businesses before wider\nimplementation.<\/p>\n
In addition, efforts<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/stelina-the-foundation-of-indonesias-fisheries-competitiveness-1777874002", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }