Blockchain for Transparent and Sustainable Seafood Supply Chains Traceability

Seafood is one of the most widely traded food commodities in the world, valued at over USD 150 billion annually. Yet, beneath this thriving global market lies a critical challenge ensuring authenticity, traceability, and sustainability. Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing contributes to nearly 20–30% of global catches, posing severe threats to marine ecosystems and economic stability. At the same time, seafood fraud, including species substitution and mislabeling, continues to erode consumer trust and hinder sustainable practices.Conventional traceability systems, dependent on centralized databases and manual record-keeping, are often inefficient and susceptible to manipulation. In contrast, blockchain technology offers a transformative solution through its decentralized, transparent, and tamper-resistant ledger. By enabling secure and immutable recording of transactions across all stakeholdersfrom fishers and processors to distributors, retailers, and regulators blockchain fosters trust, accountability, and real-time traceability.This paper investigates the potential of blockchain to revolutionize seafood supply chains by delivering end-to-end transparency and promoting sustainability. It proposes a conceptual framework that integrates digital innovation with stakeholder collaboration to address existing traceability gaps.