Somaliland's Fisheries Sector

The Fisheries Data Management System is Somaliland's first integrated digital platform for the collection, validation, storage, management, analysis and sharing of fisheries information, under a standardized and coordinated data-management framework.

FDMS is more than a database. It is a field-oriented information system that connects data collection at landing sites and in fishing communities with centralized management and analysis. Standardized forms, indicators and validation procedures mean information is collected consistently and accurately across Somaliland.

The system captures fisherfolk, fishing vessels and boats, gear, landing sites, fishing activity, catch and production, fish prices and other fisheries indicators. Because the approach is standardized, information from different locations can be consolidated, compared and analyzed to support evidence-based decision-making.

Field data collectors use mobile devices to record information in remote fishing communities and landing sites where there is limited or no internet connectivity. Data is entered and stored securely on the device while the collector works offline, without needing mobile data or Wi-Fi.

Once the device reconnects, the collected information synchronizes with the central platform. Field operations are uninterrupted, and poor network coverage along the coast stops being a reason for a landing to go unrecorded.

FDMS provides a foundation for data validation, quality control, reporting, visualization and information sharing, moving fisheries authorities and stakeholders from fragmented, manually managed information toward a structured and accessible system.

The aim is to strengthen the capacity of Somaliland's fisheries institutions: to generate reliable fisheries intelligence, understand the status and trends of the sector, improve planning and management, support resource governance, and inform policy and investment with timely, credible evidence.

By connecting the field data collector, the landing site, the fisheries authority, the data analyst and the decision-maker within one standardized digital ecosystem, FDMS provides the foundation for a more transparent, responsive and data-driven fisheries management system in Somaliland.