Following Forced Labor in the World’s Fishing Fleets
On February 29, 2016, Argentinian authorities approached the HUA LI 8, a squid jigger flagged to China that had been observed fishing illegally within Argentina’s waters.
Protecting Human Rights at Sea Starts with Access to Information
New collaboration between Global Fishing Watch and Human Rights at Sea aims to ensure policy and satellite technology solutions are aligned and information is available to all stakeholders The International Labour Organization of the United Nations estimates that 16 million people were in forced labor in the private economy in 2016, with 11 percent [...]
Leadership in Fisheries Management Will Help Bring Transparency to Latin American Waters
Costa Rica and Ecuador will join the Global Fishing Watch platform, furthering accountability of fishing activity in the region Ecuador harbor scene in sunset light Puerto Morro, Ecuador. A new era of transparency in fisheries management is emerging in Latin America. Since 2018, Peru, Chile, and Panama and more recently, Costa Rica [...]
Global Fishing Watch commends Ecuador’s decision to strengthen governance throughout its waters
Momentum gains as more countries take action to promote fisheries transparency Guayaquil, Ecuador – Ecuador has taken bold action to bolster ocean governance by joining the Global Fishing Watch platform, facilitating enhanced monitoring of the 1,200 vessels that make up Ecuador’s industrial and small-scale fishing fleets. This momentous decision will help increase accountability for [...]
Predictive Analytics to Forecast Illegal Fishing Risk in Mexico
A new collaboration aims to make management at sea more cost-effective using cutting-edge technology Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing affects the sustainability of fisheries worldwide. In Mexico, illegal fishing accounts for up to an estimated 56 percent of national seafood production, according to estimates by the Environmental Defense Fund. Such a significant level [...]
New Study Claims Information Sharing is Key to Transparency in International Fisheries
Pacific case study suggests greater transparency will improve legitimacy and sustainability of tuna fisheries Transshipment, the transfer of catch from fishing vessels to refrigerated cargo vessels (often called ‘reefers’ or ‘carriers’) is an important part of many seafood supply chains. But when transshipment occurs at sea, loopholes in governance and gaps in monitoring can [...]
Life Below Water: Ensuring Legal Seafood Starts with Supporting Fisheries Workers
Transparency of vessel information will protect fisheries observers and help create a culture of compliance Papua New Guinea: A scoop is used to haul tons of tuna onto the deck of the purse seine fishing boat 'Purple Lilac 888', owned by Frabelle Fishing Corporation of the Philippines, 09 November 2011.Credit: Jamie Ling, 2011 [...]
Technology collaboration aims to strengthen fisheries monitoring and control
New agreement will combine data and analysis from Global Fishing Watch and Vulcan Inc. to bolster fisheries transparency and enforcement Washington D.C. - Global Fishing Watch (GFW), an international nonprofit organization, has entered into a formal collaboration with Vulcan Inc., combining their vessel monitoring capabilities to enhance fisheries management and governmental efforts to combat illegal, [...]
Transshipment Portal Shows Carrier Vessels Loitering in Waters off West Africa
Tracking refrigerated cargo ships, commonly called reefers, can help address illegal fishing in the Gulf of Guinea Transshipment, or the transfer of fish from one vessel to another, is a vital part of the global commercial fishing industry. It touches a wide variety of seafood products, from bigeye and skipjack tuna all the way [...]
Study Uses Satellite Technology to Reveal How Fisheries Respond to Marine Protection
A team of scientists investigate benefits of large marine protected areas Standing at sea level, looking out at the ocean, you can only see about three miles (5 km) from shore. The largest marine protected areas (MPAs), which restrict fishing for conservation or fisheries benefits, span up to 200 nautical miles (370 km) from [...]
Spotting transshipment with an ocean of AIS data
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 fishing that [...]
Life Below Water: Celebrating 25 Years of Collaboration for Responsible Fisheries
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, [...]
Follow the lights: Squid Fishing in the Southeast Pacific Ocean
Satellite technology illuminates foreign and domestic vessels in search of one of Peru’s most valuable catches Asiatic squid vessels are constructed from marine steel, usually weigh between 800-1000 gross tons, and are outfitted with automated jiggers that use up to 150 incandescent lamps to attract squid to the surface. Credit: Simon Ager [...]
COVID-19 Harms Japanese Fisheries Despite Active Fleet
A second wave of the coronavirus could exacerbate future fisheries damages Global fishing activity has been in decline since the COVID-19 pandemic began. From the start of 2020 fishing activity has decreased by approximately 6.6 percent, and it has dropped nearly 7.9 percent since the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic on March [...]
New Partnership Brings Added Opportunities to Fisheries Monitoring
Global Fishing Watch becomes observer to International Monitoring, Control, and Surveillance Network It has been a busy summer for us at Global Fishing Watch. While travel may have been suspended and the majority of fisheries and ocean-related meetings were either canceled or postponed - some held virtually - the work has not slowed down. [...]