Oceans and coastal communities around the world are in peril, threatened by rising temperatures, overfishing and biodiversity loss.
Global demand for fish supply has ballooned massively in recent years meaning many fisheries around the world are now overfished, with 30% currently overexploited and 60% fully utilised. To address the crisis, governments and marine scientists are first trying to understand the scope of the problem. However, they lack critical data about the origin of fish catches, making it difficult to distinguish between responsible practices and those that are illegal, unreported or unregulated. Even coastal communities that fish sustainably have had no reliable way to document the source of their catches. This creates an enormous challenge for both conservation efforts and the millions of people who depend on small-scale fishing for their income.
Solving the overfishing problem and restoring fish populations requires the support of local communities who depend on fishing for their livelihoods. Enter ABALOBI.
ABALOBI was founded in South Africa by Serge Raemaekers and Nico Waldeck as a non-profit partnership between fishers and scientists. Its aim is to protect small-scale fishing communities and nurture their ocean stewardship, while arming their customers with better information about where their seafood comes from. An ABALOBI app connects fishers with a digital marketplace where they register their catches and log precisely how, when and where the fish originate. For the first time, small-scale fishers have a tool to demonstrate transparently that they are fishing sustainably, and in exchange, they receive a fair price for their catch.
At the same time, these fishers are amassing a wealth of data that helps build a greater understanding of some of the most pressing challenges facing our oceans and coastal communities.
With the use of ABALOBI’s technology, fish populations are given a chance to recover. Initially, 60% of the fish logged on the app were species classified as “of concern”. Now, more than 90% are from ecologically resilient fish stocks. With 1,600 fishers already supported across 12 countries, the technology is easy to use and scale, requiring only a smartphone.
ABALOBI’s solution makes it easier for fishers, buyers and other stakeholders to monitor fish populations and prevent overfishing while securing a fair livelihood, formal recognition and improved market access for fishermen and women. Indeed, users of the app report earning up to four times more revenue than before. Together, thousands of fishers and whole communities are being recognised as stewards of the ocean and helping to protect her for generations to come.
By 2030, we choose to ensure that, for the first time in human history, the natural world is growing – not shrinking – on our planet.
This Earthshot focuses on three main areas of interest:
By 2030 we choose to ensure that everyone in the world breathes clean, healthy air – at World Health Organization standard or better.
This Earthshot focuses on three main areas of interest:
By 2030, we choose to repair and preserve our oceans for future generations.
This Earthshot focuses on three main areas of interest:
By 2030, we choose to build a world where nothing goes to waste, where the leftovers of one process become the raw materials of the next – just like they do in nature.
This Earthshot focuses on three main areas of interest:
We choose to fix the world’s climate by cutting out carbon: building a carbon neutral economy that lets every culture, community and country thrive.
This Earthshot focuses on three main areas of interest:
