In Conversation with
Cian Luck
A conversation on the quest to unveil hidden fishing vessel activity at sea
Cian Luck, a senior fisheries analyst with the global programs team at Global Fishing Watch, studies his computer screen. Shades of blue collide across his monitor to form a map of the Earth’s ocean while flares of bright orange and turquoise define the perimeters of our planet’s continents. The colors, a fluorescent explosion of data points, are a visual manifestation of humanity’s imprint on our ocean.
But, for Luck, it’s what he can’t see that is troubling him.
“The ocean covers more than 70 percent of our planet. Yet across vast stretches of open water human activity remains largely unseen and untracked,” he explains. “This lack of transparency poses significant challenges for marine conservation and fisheries management as well as the future of sustainable ocean governance.”
Sitting at the forefront of a technological revolution that is transforming how we monitor and govern the ocean, Global Fishing Watch has become much more than just a data analyzer. Nearly ten years after it was founded by Google, Oceana and SkyTruth, the international nonprofit has transformed itself into a unique collaboration of policy experts, analysts, data scientists and researchers, all united by the goal of bolstering ocean governance through transparency of human activity at sea.
Indeed, Global Fishing Watch’s tools regularly help governments strengthen enforcement efforts, support researchers in advancing marine science and empower civil society organizations with the data needed to drive informed advocacy. And by leveraging cutting-edge satellite technology, artificial intelligence and open data, the organization is making it possible to track vessel activity in near real-time, revealing previously hidden patterns of industrial fishing and maritime operations.
Nevertheless, says Luck, there is still much more work to be done.
We spoke with the long-time analyst to better understand how the fusion of technology and policy is driving greater transparency and building a more complete picture of human activity at sea.
Global Fishing Watch offers a unique fusion of technology, policy and advocacy to drive better and more transparent ocean governance. What makes Global Fishing Watch’s efforts in mapping and monitoring human activity on the ocean so unique?
What sets Global Fishing Watch apart is its interdisciplinary approach to addressing our day-to-day work. The organization brings together data scientists, policy experts, software engineers, product designers, and communication specialists — each playing a critical role in advancing ocean transparency.
But most importantly, I love the diversity of people and skill sets that make our successes possible.
Diversity is critical to achieving our objectives of transparency through technology because the complexity of ocean governance demands a multifaceted response that only a diverse team can support. Global Fishing Watch’s complementary expertise allows us to develop sophisticated tools that not only visualize human activity at sea but also drive meaningful policy change. The ability to work at the nexus of data and decision-making is profoundly motivating, and the continuous innovation in this space makes every day a learning experience. That’s an invaluable asset, especially when coupled with the meaningful impact our work has in delivering sustainable ocean governance around the world. Indeed, in 2024 alone our work has helped drive the adoption of a United Nations resolution, supported marine protection in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, and advanced the global conversation on the extent of human activity at sea.
What are the biggest challenges you face when analyzing fishing vessel data, especially in regions where surveillance and data collection are limited?
The fundamental challenge I face as a fisheries analyst is confronting the reality that we cannot know what we cannot see. More crucially, we cannot fix what we do not know. That is why transparency sits at the core of Global Fishing Watch’s mission. It’s our commitment to making specific ocean and vessel data, as well as the policies and decisions that surround them, both available and accessible to those that need it and are impacted by it. And it is why we use a combination of data sources to track vessels at sea, including the gold standard of tracking technologies such as automatic identification system (AIS) and vessel monitoring system (VMS). These technologies provide us with detailed information about where vessels are operating and help us ensure our tools are cutting-edge.
Nevertheless, at the global scale the problem remains that many vessels don’t use these technologies or make their data publicly available. Therefore, in order to partly fill in the gaps, Global Fishing Watch leverages complementary data sources like radar and optical imagery to show where these otherwise unseen vessels are operating. These technologies can’t give us the same level of detail as AIS or VMS but they do help us a lot. Our hope is that as more vessels adopt AIS and VMS technology and more data is shared internationally, we’ll be able to fill in more of these data gaps and enable more informed management and decision-making.
How does the work you do as an analyst translate into actionable insights for policymakers, researchers and enforcement agencies?
The primary objective of Global Fishing Watch is to transform vast amounts of maritime data into actionable intelligence in support of transparent and sustainable ocean governance. As an analyst, my role is to work closely with stakeholders to answer specific questions and transform numerous data points into an intelligible narrative — whether that’s by identifying a vessel’s port of origin, mapping a network of transshipment activity or detecting potential fishing activity in restricted zones. Each case presents a unique challenge, and our ability to tailor data analysis to real-world concerns is what makes our work so impactful. By providing policymakers, researchers, and enforcement agencies with clear, evidence-based insights, we help shape regulatory decisions and support more effective fisheries management.
Are there any emerging technologies or methodologies you’re excited about that could further revolutionize how you work?
One of the key challenges we face is monitoring vessels that aren’t fitted with tracking devices like AIS or VMS. And while advancements in radar and optical imagery continue to enhance vessel monitoring, what excites me the most is the growing global push for transparency as a fundamental principle of ocean governance. Our policy team is actively working within international fora to advocate for expanded data-sharing — an effort that could dramatically improve the completeness and reliability of vessel tracking. Technology alone cannot solve the challenges of illegal and unreported fishing; policy frameworks that mandate transparency are equally crucial. As more nations and regulatory bodies adopt these principles, we will be able to construct a far more comprehensive picture of human activity at sea.
How do you collaborate with governments and NGOs to drive actionable change in fisheries management?
Our work is all about driving impact. One of my first assignments at Global Fishing Watch was using our marine manager portal, co-founded by Dona Bertarelli, to work on a long-form report in collaboration with the government of Tristan da Cunha — a remote group of volcanic islands located in the South Atlantic Ocean. During one of our many meetings, I was conducting a map demo of apparent fishing activity in and around the Tristan da Cunha exclusive economic zone (EEZ), most of which is closed to industrial fishing. Our partners in the government immediately spotted some unusual fishing activity inside of the EEZ and guided our investigation. As we delved deeper, the evidence suggested potential fishing activity in a closed area by a foreign fleet. We compiled all of the information available to us and shared it with the relevant authorities who were then able to action it further and open a dialogue with the flag state in question. This was an early demonstration for me of the impact transparency can have and the significance of making usable information available for those who are in a position to act on it.
