LATVIA
Paper data registration of catches and other data is on its way out in Latvia
Mobile application for electronic catch reporting The Baltic countries are living up to their reputations as highly digitally capable societies also when it comes to the fishing sector. Electronic catch reporting is increasingly becoming the norm as apps to register data from fishers become mandatory after a gradual in-phasing.
T
he obligation for coastal fishermen to register their catch data electronically in the state information system, Latvian Fisheries Integrated Control and Information System, the owner of which is the Ministry of Agriculture of Latvia, is defined within the Latvian national legislation. From 1 January 2021, the requirement was mandatory for coastal commercial fishermen, and it also became mandatory for self-consumption fishers from 1 January 2023. In addition, the option to provide catch data electronically also exists for inland water fishermen on a voluntary basis. However, from 1 January 2024 this too will become mandatory.
Ministry organises app development To facilitate the catch data reporting for small- scale fishermen, the ministry commissioned the development of a mobile application called LZIKIS. The application is available free of charge for Android devices in the Google Play store and for Apple devices in the App Store and fishermen are encouraged to use it. These days, when smartphones are common, this technical solution is offered for convenience. The possibility to use a computer or smartphone for data entry via the information system’s web page still exists.
The mobile application has been created with simplified catch data entry in coastal and inland fishing logbooks to facilitate the recording of catches using smart devices (smartphones or tablets). The user submits the credentials granted for access to the information system when logging on from within the application. Consequently, it does not require any additional effort to register the user.
Data can be recorded via the app or a browser The Ministry of Agriculture has declared that the full functionality of the system is still available and can be used as before, by accessing the information system from an internet browser, which can be done both using computers and smart devices. Both methods can be used to enter catch data, which is stored in the system and is accessible both to the fisherman who entered it and to the appropriate authorities for control purposes, regardless of the device and method used for data entry. Aside from the obvious benefit of having the data available for control purposes, it can provide multiple other benefits, such as assisting the fishermen in planning their activities by providing historical data, allowing for
The app is easy and convenient to use, but fishers who prefer otherwise can still use a browser to log into the system and submit their data.
analysis of the previous catches, and for planning purposes. Information is also promptly available for statistical analysis by the researchers and authorities leading to a better understanding of fish stocks which is increasingly important today.
Fishers closely involved in the app's development During the development of the mobile application, consultations were held with representatives of fishermen’s organisations, and individual fishermen were involved in testing the application, providing valuable feedback that helped to make it more intuitive and user-friendly. In addition, the ministry intends, in cooperation with the Latvian Rural Centre for Consultation and Education, to hold information activities (seminars, presentations, etc.) to assist fishermen
become proficient users of the application. A video manual on how to use the mobile application LZIKIS was developed and published on the ministry’s website. Moreover, ministry experts are available to assist in the case of any technical problem. Since then, feedback received from the fishermen indicate that many users find it very convenient, user-friendly, and believe that it saves time—no need to fill out a paper logbook manually when everything can be done with just a few taps in the app. Work on improvements to the information system in cooperation with local governments, competent control authorities, and fishermen will continue to make it easier to use for fishermen, institutions, and operators. Fisheries Department, Ministry of Agriculture
EUROFISH Magazine 6 / 2023
09_LATVIA (LV).indd 49
49
23/11/23 11:42 AM
