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Capacity development, as defined by the United Nations, is the process of enhancing the ability of individuals, organisations, and societies to achieve their development goals. It involves three key aspects:
Goal 17 includes targets for capacity-building, including increasing technology and innovation in least developed countries and improving data collection and monitoring for the achievement of the SDGs themselves. Universities in particular can serve as centres of capacity-building through research, innovation and data collection and analysis.
Capacity development is central to FAO’s mandate and is recognised as one of its core functions within the Organisation’s Strategic Framework. It is essential for achieving sustainable results at the country level, ensuring that FAO’s efforts lead to lasting change. FAO views capacity development as a country-driven process, aligned with national priorities and local contexts, and embedded within national systems and local expertise. It must be carried out in partnership with national, regional, and international stakeholders and requires long-term engagement rather than isolated short-term initiatives.
In-field missions
Data compliance and support missions are the primary capacity development activities undertaken by the IOTC Secretariat. These missions are carried out by IOTC Secretariat staff, with the support personnel from the relevant government institutions in each country and consultants in some cases, and focus on the following objectives:
The objectives of the missions are defined as follows:
Data Compliance Missions: These aim to foster improvements in data validation and reporting of core statistical datasets to the IOTC Secretariat (i.e., retained catches, catch and effort, and size data). They also assess shortcomings in fisheries data collection and management and establish a Plan of Action with the CPC to enhance reporting levels.
Technical Assistance Missions: These focus on capacity development in data collection, support for the development of national fisheries databases and statistical systems, and assistance in addressing other fisheries data management challenges at the national level.
Support for the Implementation of the ROS: Capacity development activities related to the IOTC Regional Observer Scheme (ROS) encompass several components, including further development and improvement of IOTC ROS electronic tools and studies on the implementation of Electronic Monitoring Systems (EMS) in small-scale fisheries.
Sri Lanka (data technical assistance, Sep 2024)
The Secretariat conducted a support mission in Sri Lanka to assist fisheries officers in understanding the new reporting processes and using the new IOTC reporting tools and updated template forms. In addition to improving data reporting, the mission included assessing the status of the Electronic Monitoring (EM) pilot project in Sri Lanka and reviewing gillnet fisheries data collection for Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) analysis, with the support of an IOTC consultant.
Mozambique (data technical assistance, May 2024)
The mission to Mozambique was conducted following a request for technical assistance to enhance their statistical capabilities and optimize the use of electronic platforms for data submission. The focus of the mission was to review Mozambique’s fisheries data collection and processing systems. The Secretariat gained a comprehensive understanding of the institutions involved in the management and monitoring of fisheries in the country, covering the main sectors of the fisheries industry and their respective data collection systems. Some good progress have been made to updates on the ongoing database management platform, with the potential integration of a mobile app for data collection. The Secretariat will follow-up with Mozambique on the use of various data reporting tools and how these tools can enhance their reporting obligations.
Bangladesh (data technical assistance, Mar 2024)
The technical mission to Bangladesh was conducted in response to a request for technical support in implementing IOTC CMMs related to statistical data requirements. As one of the newest IOTC members, the mission involved meetings with officers from various locations involved in data collection. Landing sites were also visited to gain a better understanding of the structure of Bangladeshi fisheries. During the mission, Secretariat officers familiarised themselves with Bangladesh’s data collection and reporting systems, particularly those managed by the Marine Fisheries Survey Management Unit (MFSMU). The MFSMU oversees a range of fisheries assessment activities, including stock assessments for various species, vessel-based surveys, land-based surveys, data management and reporting, the analysis of both fishery-dependent and fishery-independent data, and the preparation of materials for various meetings, including IOTC scientific sessions. The quality and scope of data submissions for Bangladeshi fisheries significantly improved following the mission.
Staff from the Data Section of the Secretariat met in Jakarta and Bandung with representatives from the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) of Indonesia, national research institutions, and the International Pole and Line Foundation (IPNLF) to work on the revision of Indonesian annual catches for the period 1950-2022. Discussions and work focused on the information available on the magnitude and species composition of the catch, on the assumptions required for the estimation, and on the assessment and validation of the methodology and results which were presented at the WPDCS and endorsed at the SC in December 2024.
Tanzania (data technical assistance, Jul 2023 and Feb 2024)
Staff from the Data Section of the IOTC Secretariat met with officers from the Deep-Sea Fishing Authority (DSFA), the Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI), and the Zanzibar Fisheries Research Institute (ZAFIRI) involved in data collection, management, and reporting to the IOTC.
The workshop aimed to: (i) Review IOTC data requirements and the reporting process, (ii) Identify reporting issues in Tanzanian data, (iii) Train fisheries officers in data entry and management to ensure compliance with IOTC standards, and (iv) Identify key challenges in data collection and management and provide recommendations to improve future data submissions.
Data Reporting Workshops
In 2024, the Data Section of the Secretariat conducted two regional data reporting workshops aimed at familiarizing the CPCs with the newly implemented data reporting system. The workshops were held in two regions:
Funding Agencies
European Commission
The mission of the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG-MARE) of the European Commission is "to develop the potential of the European maritime economy and to secure sustainable fisheries, a stable supply of seafood, healthy seas and prosperous coastal communities – for today's Europeans and for future generations.”
Since 2015, DG-MARE has provided the IOTC Secretariat with capacity development grants to fund projects that enhance compliance with Conservation and Management Measures (CMMs). These grants also support activities that assist developing coastal states in the IOTC area in improving the implementation of the at-sea observer scheme, ensuring compliance with IOTC mandatory data collection and reporting standards, conducting technical support missions to CPCs, and enabling national fisheries scientists to participate in IOTC scientific meetings.
In 2022, DG-MARE funding was utilised to support various activities, including the implementation of the Regional Observer Scheme Pilot Project. This project involved piloting Electronic Monitoring Systems (EMS) to facilitate improvements in data collection, reporting, and the timeliness of observer data submitted to the IOTC Secretariat.
DG-MARE’s support for the IOTC Secretariat remains ongoing, with a new project proposal for the 2023–2024 biennium. Funding is available to support the programmes of work of the IOTC Science and Compliance Committees for 24 months.
Government of Japan
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the IOTC and the Overseas Fishery Cooperation Foundation (OFCF) of Japan was established in April 2002 to enhance the capacity of developing coastal states in the Indian Ocean region and improve their fisheries statistical systems. The project has run continuously for over 20 years, with the following phases:
In September 2022, a Cooperation Agreement (CA) was signed between FAO and OFCF Japan, covering the period 2022–2026.
The Indian Ocean Commission
The Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), through the EU-funded EcoFish project, provides support to CPCs to enhance their compliance with IOTC requirements. Funds under this project are available to support activities that are common to both the Data and Compliance sections of the Secretariat.