Global Market Standards Getting Tighter, KKP Intensifies Use of Stelina to Track Fish Origin

JAKARTA - The government through the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has strengthened the traceability of fishery products through the National Fish Traceability and Logistics System (Stelina). This step responds to the increasingly stringent global market demands for transparency and sustainability.

The Directorate of Infrastructure Facilities of the Directorate General of Strengthening the Competitiveness of Marine and Fishery Products (PDSPKP) of the KKP Lia Sugihartini said that the market that is the destination for the export of Indonesian fishery products now demands clear product origins and responsible management practices.

"So, we have seen in decades that this market has been asking for our fishery products to be traceable, then come from sustainable activities or there is responsibility in the management of fisheries, whether it is caught or cultivated," said Lia in the Bincang Bahari Stelina event: Traceability as the Key to Access Global Markets at the KKP office, Jakarta, Tuesday, April 14.

These requirements are already in force in various major destination countries, including the United States (US). Fishery products must come from legal activities and not illegal fishing.

"Our products must come from legal products or not from illegal fishing and it is also applied to the US market, for example with the seafood import monitoring program," he said.

This condition encourages the government to build an integrated national system. KKP developed Stelina as a digital platform that connects the entire supply chain, from capture to marketing.

"So, this is a digital platform that integrates data from capture, cultivation, distribution, processing and marketing," he added.

The system is available in a web version and a mobile application. This access makes it easier for business actors, including those operating in the field.

"The difference is, now Stelina has end-to-end traceability. So, from upstream to downstream we can see the fish's journey," he said.

Transparency is an important factor for international buyers. Information on the origin of the product, the location of the capture or cultivation, the harvest time to the production method is a determinant of the purchase decision.

"Because right now buyers are asking our fishery supply chain to be transparent. Where is the fish, where is it caught, where is it cultivated, when is it harvested, then how is the cultivation method. So that they, our buyers, sell Indonesian fishery products with the story," said Lia.

Stelina provides this information in full. The system is also equipped with a QR code for tracking to the source.

The development of STELINA refers to the Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability (GDST) standard. The standard ensures that the system is connected to other global platforms.

"So, we adopt international standards, namely the Global Dialogue Seafood Traceability. This is an international standard on digital traceability that is interoperable," he said.

The system also supports interoperability. Business actors already have internal systems, there is no need to do double data input.

"So, how can they input to Stelina without having to double input. So, we can open for interoperability with the traceability system owned by business actors or globally," he explained.

KKP targets full implementation by 2027. The initial focus includes major commodities such as tuna, shrimp and mackerel. More than 500 business actors have used the system.