October 21, 2019 — The following was released by IBM:
In Massachusetts, we like to think we know our scallops. Barely 15 miles from our headquarters at Raw Seafoods sits the town of New Bedford, where New England fishermen first began using “catboats” to dredge bay scallops in the early 1900s. By the mid 1950s, more than 85 percent of the national scallop catch came through New Bedford.
We also learned the hard way what happens when we take our precious fisheries for granted. By the 1990s, the New England scallop fisheries were all but depleted. Thanks to a series of reforms and the implementation of new technology, the industry banded together and last year’s catch in 2018 was the fifth largest ever recorded. For 18 straight years, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has ranked New Bedford as the most valuable fishing port in the United States.
The unique history of our fishery has taught us that collaboration can yield dividends where competition cannot, and that the upfront investment required for game-changing innovation can often be a matter of survival. That’s why New England scallopers are now uploading information about their catch to Raw Seafoods with IBM Food Trust, a blockchain-based platform that promotes food traceability, safety, and sustainability. This information will automatically be shared with other members of the scallop supply chain, from processors and distributors to supermarkets and even restaurants.