# Tracking Fish from Ocean to Store

> Austral Fisheries uses blockchain technology to assign each fish a unique identification number that stores GPS coordinates of the catch, vessel information, and certificates. Customers scan a code on the packaging to receive real-time transparency about the entire supply chain from catch to supermarket. The project, developed together with WWF and BCG Digital Ventures, promotes sustainability through increased consumer trust.

**Sector:** Primary sector · **Industry:** Fisheries · **Organisation:** Austral Fisheries · **Maturity level:** Pilot

Canonical URL: https://www.sapientblock.com/en/use-cases/austral-fisheries-fischreise-ozean-laden-verfolgen

## Documentation status

- **Project status:** Pilot
- **Evidence:** Evidence high
- **Editorial review:** Ufuk Avci, 12 July 2026

## Description

When buying fish in the supermarket, consumers usually do not know where, when, and how the product was caught. Austral Fisheries solves this problem by assigning each fish a digital identity on the blockchain that immutably stores all relevant information – from the exact catch location to the certification certificate. A simple QR code on the packaging is enough to trace this entire journey within seconds. The OpenSC platform, developed jointly with BCG Digital Ventures and WWF, was first used worldwide in January 2019 for toothfish from the Southern Ocean. The project demonstrates how technology can build trust in the food chain while making sustainable fishing practices economically more attractive.

Austral Fisheries, a fishing subsidiary based in Perth, Australia, launched a pilot in 2018 together with WWF Australia for a blockchain-based traceability system, building on a previously award-winning WWF pilot project for tracking Pacific tuna. In January 2019, this became the OpenSC platform – developed in partnership with BCG Digital Ventures – officially launched as the world’s first system of its kind, initially for Dissostichus eleginoides (Antarctic toothfish), caught in one of the most remote regions of the world. The blockchain stores GPS coordinates of the catch location, information about the fishing vessel, and sustainability certificates for each fish batch, making this data accessible to everyone via a QR code on the product packaging. After the successful launch with toothfish, the platform was expanded to cover a growing share of Austral Fisheries’ prawn catch, demonstrating the solution’s scalability potential. The overarching goal of OpenSC is to act as a global platform for food tracking and reduce the purchase of illegal or unsustainably sourced products through informed consumer decisions.

## Benefits

- Reduction of liability risks and reputational damage through verifiable compliance with sustainability and origin standards
- Differentiation from competitors in the premium segment for sustainable seafood
- Simplified fulfilment of regulatory requirements for food traceability
- Informed purchasing decisions based on verified and tamper-proof product data
- Direct contribution to promoting sustainable fishing through conscious consumer behaviour
- Seamless, tamper-proof traceability of fishery products from catch to end customer
- Increase in consumer trust through objectively verifiable origin and sustainability data
- Support in combating illegal and unsustainable fishing through increased transparency
- Scalable platform that can be extended to other product categories
- Enhancement of sustainable fishing practices through direct visibility of one’s own work to end customers
- Potential improvement of working conditions through increased appreciation and premium positioning of the company

## Challenges

- Convincing all supply chain partners to participate in the platform may encounter resistance, especially if actors have less interest in transparency.
- Investment costs for implementing the necessary hardware and software infrastructure on fishing vessels and in processing plants.
- Data quality depends on reliable recording at all supply chain points – gaps or errors at one point undermine the credibility of the entire system.
- Integrating all supply chain partners (fishers, processors, traders, retailers) into a common platform requires significant coordination effort.
- In remote fishing areas such as the Southern Ocean, a stable internet connection for real-time data transmission is a technical challenge.
- Training and onboarding effort for crew members and processing staff who need to become familiar with new digital recording processes.

## Technology foundation

The OpenSC platform, developed by BCG Digital Ventures in collaboration with WWF, uses blockchain technology for immutable recording of supply chain data. Blockchain is particularly suitable for this use case because each stage of the supply chain – from catch location through processing to retail – is stored as a tamper-proof entry, ensuring seamless, trustworthy traceability. The exact underlying blockchain infrastructure (e.g. Hyperledger or Ethereum) has not been publicly specified.

## Sources

- [How tech is being used to keep fish supply chains sustainable](https://www.lombardodier.com/de/contents/corporate-news/responsible-capital/2022/october/how-tech-is-being-used-to-keep-f.html)
- [Austral Fisheries and BCG Digital Ventures Launch New Tracking Platform](https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1129437/Austral-Fisheries-and-BCG-Digital-Ventures-Launch-New-Tracking-Platform)
- [New blockchain traceability platform debuts with Austral Fisheries toothfish](https://www.seafoodsource.com/premium/global-bulletin/new-blockchain-traceability-platform-debuts-with-austral-fisheries-toothfish)
- [New Tracking Platform for Sustainable Seafood](https://seafood.media/fis/techno/newtechno.asp?l=e&id=101191&ndb=1)