In 2018, Global Fishing Watch (GFW) published the first ever global maps of fishing activity using AIS data. These fishing maps drew on billions of GPS positions broadcast by over 60,000 fishing vessels, and they revealed fishing operations in all oceans in incredible detail. These new methods, though, had yet to be vetted by the […]
This article was produced and first published by our data partner, Spire Global. Transparency in a whole new light In February this year, a Vietnamese ship entered Indonesian waters, likely fished illegally, and then returned to port without consequence. By March, it was back at sea. There were no signs to indicate that the vessel […]
Find out how Global Fishing Watch’s carrier vessel portal promotes ocean sustainability by tracking transshipment with the help of AIS data This article was produced and first published by our data partner, Spire Global. Global Fishing Watch created a new tool using Spire Global’s AIS data to shine a light on transshipment—a critical process of high seas […]
From January 26 to April 10, 2024, we have had an error in Global Fishing Watch data. This error has impacted both automatic identification system (AIS) and vessel monitoring system (VMS) data in the Global Fishing Watch platform, as well as data pulled from the data download portal and APIs. We have now fully resolved […]
Today, we are pleased to announce that, through a partnership with Spire Global, Inc, we have doubled the amount of data we use to identify and track nearly 60,000 commercial fishing vessels on the world’s oceans. Publicly broadcast Automatic Identification System (AIS) messages received by satellites and ground-based receivers comprise the largest source of data in the […]
In March 2025, we released version 3.0 of the downloadable static Global Fishing Watch apparent fishing effort dataset here. Data is available for 2012-2024 and based on positions of >190,000 unique automatic identification system (AIS) devices on fishing vessels, of which up to ~96,000 are active in a given year. What is different between the […]
In March 2025, we released version 3.0 of the downloadable static Global Fishing Watch apparent fishing effort dataset here. Data is available for 2012-2024 and based on positions of >190,000 unique automatic identification system (AIS) devices on fishing vessels, of which up to ~96,000 are active in a given year. What changes to this dataset […]
Analysis of tracking data from automatic identification system broadcasts reveals vessel locations have been simulated for a number of ships, including military vessels. This false information could compromise vessel safety, decrease confidence in a crucial collision avoidance system and potentially spark international conflict. Over the years, data analysts working with Global Fishing Watch and SkyTruth […]
User Guide English | Español | Français | Portuguese |中文 Menu Introduction The Global Fishing Watch map is the first open-access online platform for visualization and analysis of vessel-based human activity at sea. Powered by satellite technology and machine learning, the map merges multiple types of vessel tracking data to provide a view of global […]
Guide d’utilisation de la carte English | Español | Français | Portuguese |中文 Menu Introduction La carte Global Fishing Watch est la première plateforme en ligne en libre accès pour la visualisation et l’analyse de l’activité maritime humaine à bord de navires. Utilisant la technologie satellitaire et l’apprentissage automatique, la carte fusionne plusieurs types de […]
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