International collaboration and information sharing are key to detecting suspicious vessels and achieving well-managed fisheries. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter DOUGLAS MUNRO recently completed a nearly two-month patrol, traveling 12,500 miles (20,117 km) throughout the ocean in support of Operation North Pacific Guard, an annual high seas fisheries law enforcement operation designed to [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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, [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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, [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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. [...]
New initiative aims to equip women with skills for work in monitoring, control and surveillance Women in Maritime Africa, South Africa chapter (WIMA-SA), and Global Fishing Watch (GFW) have joined forces in a partnership that seeks to develop technical skills for women in the maritime sector. The collaboration will establish a training program specifically [...]
Ocean stewardship begins with sharing information, requires courage and leadership https://youtu.be/ix-3dFvgmKA 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, [...]
