illegal fishing

New Fusion of Global Datasets Advances Understanding of Vessel Identity and Activity

Data and technology, Impacts, News & Views, Research and analysis / By

Novel research provides new tool to improve global fisheries oversight Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing accounts for up to $23.5 billion every year and is enabled by vessels frequently changing their name, flag State or owner. New research , led by Global Fishing Watch and published in Science Advances , uses big data processing […]

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palau underwater

2022: A Year of Success—and Greater Promise

Data and technology, Fisheries, Impacts, News & Views, Research and analysis, Transparency / By

A wave of ocean action shows opportunities for greater transparency toward marine governance 2022 dawned with even more uncertainty than most years. With COVID-19 lingering, it was unclear if the ocean conservation and fisheries management communities could hold the international meetings necessary to kick start work that had stalled during the first two years of

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AIS disabling hotspots map

Hotspots of Unseen Fishing Vessels Illuminate Areas of Concern for Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing

Research and analysis / By

New study provides first global dataset examining intentional disabling of automatic identification system devices across commercial fisheries The ocean is vast and ship crews rely on several tools to navigate it safely. One of these tools is the automatic identification system, commonly referred to as AIS, which uses GPS transponders to regularly broadcast critical information,

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Global analysis shows where fishing vessels’ identification devices have been switched off

News & Views, Press Release / By

New research displays intentional disabling of automatic identification system devices to provide insights into illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing activity A new analysis harnesses automatic identification system, or AIS, data to provide information about global fishing activity, including illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. Originally designed as a collision avoidance tool, AIS can be intentionally disabled—sometimes

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Global Fishing Watch staff behind FAO sign

Transparency Can Bring Forward Outcomes of International Fisheries Meeting

Impacts, Transparency / By

Committee on fisheries advances transshipment monitoring, vessel identification and tracking to fight illegal fishing International fisheries are managed through a patchwork of regulations, which present loopholes that are often exploited for financial gain, undermining collective good governance efforts. To help address this, every two years, the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) of the Food and Agriculture

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coast guard in boat

International Organizations Launch Collaborative Initiative in Fight Against Illegal Fishing

Fisheries, Research and analysis / By

The Joint Analytical Cell aims to bolster fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance   Costing the global economy billions of dollars in lost revenue each year, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is impacting the health and resilience of our ocean, which play an integral role in stabilizing global livelihoods and ensuring food security. Stopping it will

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New Techniques Reveal Fishing Vessel Identities in the Dark of Night

Data and technology, Fisheries, News & Views, Research and analysis / By

New Global Fishing Watch technology merges nighttime images with GPS datasets to observe vessels not broadcasting their positions When the sun sets, human activity on the ocean goes on. And every night, satellites snap a picture of all the activity taking place down below, including vessels at sea. Vessels often are equipped with bright lights

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Recent Study Shows How Satellite Technology Can Help Track Illegal Fishing Throughout the Pacific Region

Data and technology, Fisheries, Impacts, Research and analysis / By

Enhanced transshipment monitoring is key in reducing illegal catch Tuna fisheries are vital to livelihoods, economies and cultures across the Pacific Islands region. Producing over half of the global catch—a portion estimated at $26 billion per year—the Pacific is home to the world’s most productive tuna fisheries. Ensuring the sustainability of these tuna fisheries is

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Contributions from the Ground Can Strengthen New Transshipment Guidelines

Policy & Compliance, Transparency / By

As the FAO and its Member States develop voluntary measures on transshipment, experience from the ground informs four key recommendations This year, the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations and its Member States will work to develop and endorse voluntary guidelines for the regulation, monitoring and control of transshipment. Transshipment—the transfer of catch

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Transparency in Fisheries is Essential to Ocean Resilience

Transparency / By

Despite the complexities of climate change, a simple message resonates: all systems are linked, and the ocean is a key solution A resilient ocean is key to addressing climate change. Our shared waters are primary atmospheric drivers through temperature regulation, carbon absorption, oxygen production and influence on rainfall. The well-being of people and planet cannot

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A Call for Collaboration to Tackle Forced Labor in Fishing

Fisheries, Impacts, News & Views, Research and analysis / By

Satellite technology can offer cost-effective solutions to ocean governance, but stakeholders must work together to be successful Forced labor is used in fishing fleets around the world—a fact that is becoming known all too well.  While not every fishing operation succumbs to such practices, unscrupulous employers will often commodify and exploit workers in order to

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Our Ocean Oslo 2019

2020 Hindsight: How a New Wave of Transparency Can Lead to Better Ocean Governance

Data and technology, News & Views, Research and analysis / By

Partnership and collective understanding will set the course for Global Fishing Watch’s work ahead And so ends another year—a year that many are perhaps eager to close out. I think it’s fair to say that none of us imagined 2020 would have panned out like this. Twelve months ago we were all preparing for a

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Celebrating 25 Years of Collaboration for Responsible Fisheries

Life Below Water: Celebrating 25 Years of Collaboration for Responsible Fisheries

Fisheries, News & Views, Policy & Compliance / By

Innovative use of data and technology can support the implementation of historic, flagship policies October 2020 brings the 25th anniversary of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (the Code). Developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Code aims to “strengthen international legal frameworks for more effective conservation, management

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Fisheries Transparency

Seafood Sector Can Benefit from Fisheries Transparency

Fisheries, News & Views / By

Ocean stewardship begins with sharing information, requires courage and leadership Martin Exel, managing director of Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship (SeaBOS), speaks on the importance of the seafood industry’s role in promoting transparency and sustainability.  Information sharing has the ability to transform fisheries governance. Through increased transparency and cutting-edge technology and analysis, Global Fishing Watch

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