Fishing for solutions: Norwegian fishers’ perspectives on the implementation of automatic catch registration for combating IUU fishing

Fisheries and other activities that exploit nature threaten biodiversity if not effectively managed. With global population growth and increasing demand for seafood, pressure on marine resource-based activities, including fisheries, increases. Concurrently, economic incentives, weak management, and inadequate enforcement enable Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, undermining sustainability. Achieving a sustainable global fishery that meets rising nutritional demands, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 14, requires efforts to reduce IUU fishing. Automatic catch registration on fishing vessels is proposed to enhance transparency and traceability, improving monitoring, control, and surveillance in fisheries. However, its success depends on industry adoption. We engaged Norwegian fishing fleet representatives in a workshop to discuss their preferences for implementing such technologies. Through conceptual mapping, we identified key themes likely to influence successful implementation. Technological and regulatory factors were perceived as particularly impactful. Participants raised concerns about equipment and operational costs, technological reliability and accuracy, and frustration with perceived top-down management. Although initial skepticism was evident, participants acknowledged potential benefits under certain conditions, including the opportunity to achieve higher prices for fully documented fish, replacement of existing reporting procedures, and greater legal protection and fairness in enforcement. Realizing these benefits was seen as dependent on transparent policy development and stakeholder involvement in the implementation process. To support industry adoption, participants emphasized the need to address the practical, financial, and regulatory challenges they may face. These findings underscore the importance of stakeholder-informed policy to support adoption, strengthen legitimacy, and enable effective implementation in efforts to reduce IUU fishing.