From Paper Records to Digital Tracking
GENERAL SANTOS CITY - BFAR is proposing to replace the country’s paper-based catch certification process with an electronic platform, and General Santos City became the venue for an important industry consultation on the proposal. The August 13 meeting brought together businesses involved in fishing, processing, exporting, canning, and supplying seafood. Under the proposed system, information about fish and fishery products could be recorded and tracked electronically from their source through the supply chain. BFAR said the move is intended to improve traceability and help address illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. For General Santos, where fishing and seafood processing form an important part of economic activity, better documentation could make an established industry more prepared for increasingly demanding export requirements.
Keeping GenSan's Seafood Connected to Global Buyers
The proposal is closely linked to requirements in major international markets, particularly the European Union and Japan. BFAR explained that the proposed amendment responds to rules requiring mechanisms that verify the origin and movement of fishery products entering those markets. This matters for businesses in General Santos because exporters need documentation that can demonstrate the legality and traceability of their products. The planned system is still being developed, so it would be premature to describe it as an operational platform. However, the consultation itself shows that government agencies and industry participants are working through the practical details before adoption. That includes documentation, application fees, technical definitions, monitoring reports, equipment, connectivity, and personnel requirements.
A Technology Conversation With Local Industry at the Table
Perhaps the most encouraging part of the development is that the fishing industry is being included in the discussion before the proposed system is finalized. BFAR's consultation allowed operators, processors, exporters, and other stakeholders to raise concerns and suggest changes to the draft rules. The bureau said comments would be considered as the proposal is refined, followed by system trials, coordination with international partners, and capacity-building for industry users and certifying officers. That process gives General Santos businesses an opportunity to understand what digital certification could mean for their operations before implementation. Instead of treating technology as something added after the fact, the proposal places industry feedback inside the rule-making process itself.
