Our work
Rapa Nui: Where Life and the Ocean Are One
Rapa Nui blends ancestral ocean traditions with modern satellite technology to protect its marine ecosystem and sustain artisanal fishing for future generations.
Ocean-Land Mask Update in our Synthetic Aperture Radar Data Pipeline Solved
We updated our Synthetic Aperture Radar data pipeline to address a recent technical issue in our processing infrastructure.
Skylight VIIRS Detections Added
Near-real-time nighttime vessel detections from Skylight’s VIIRS model are now available in Global Fishing Watch platform, enabling improved monitoring of vessel activity at night.
A Research Roadmap: How AI and Satellites Will Drive Transparency in 2026
From mapping the world’s small-scale fleet to deploying AI agents to monitor marine reserves, Global Fishing Watch’s research team is illuminating human activity across the ocean like never before.
Considerations when using automatic identification system (AIS) data
Global Fishing Watch is advancing ocean governance through increased transparency of human activity at sea. By creating and publicly sharing map visualizations, data and analysis tools, we enable scientific research and drive a transformation in how we manage our ocean.
Global Fishing Watch study finds resourcing, learning and trust are “key” to building good ocean governance
New research from the international nonprofit reveals that satellite monitoring and big data can improve ocean governance only when paired with trusted partnerships and shared learning
How Transparency Can Help Reshape the Seafood Supply Chain
Why vessel-level visibility and cross-platform collaboration should be the new benchmarks for mitigating risk in global tuna fisheries
Version 4 Data Pipeline Release
Global Fishing Watch has launched an improved version — version 4 — of our automatic identification system (AIS), vessel identity, object detection and vessel monitoring system (VMS) data pipelines.
At FAO Meeting, Global Fishing Watch Pushes Transparency of Vessel Ownership to Combat Illegal Fishing
FAO fisheries talks spotlight Global Fishing Watch’s push for mandatory vessel ownership transparency to expose UBOs and fight illegal fishing.
Ultimate Beneficial Ownership: Why Transparency Is Vital for Effective Fisheries Governance
Ultimate beneficial ownership (UBO) transparency exposes who controls and profits from fishing vessels, helping deter IUU fishing, improve governance, and close regulatory loopholes.
Ultimate Beneficial Ownership in Fisheries: The Critical Need for Transparency in Vessel Ownership
Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is a global crisis that continues to undermine marine ecosystems, distort markets and drain the global economy of billions of dollars each year.
From Detection to Deterrence: How Vessel Tracking Is Helping Protect Panama’s Coiba Ridge
When satellite data revealed fishing inside the Coiba Ridge sanctuary, Panamanian authorities turned to Global Fishing Watch for help. Less than a year later, vessel tracking shows a drop in illegal activity.