This blog post is the first in a series that we will be releasing on the effects of COVID-19 on global fishing activity. The world is currently experiencing a pandemic due to the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, and the impacts are being felt in nearly all aspects of life. As countries around the world issue stay-at-home […]
Global Fisheries During COVID-19 Read More »
Two months ago, the death of fisheries observer Eritara Aati Kaierua was reported in Pacific waters, leading to an ongoing murder investigation. For many people, the idea of a murder taking place on board a confined fishing vessel out at sea seems inconceivable, but for those that know the fisheries sector well, it is yet
Paul Woods, chief innovation officer with Global Fishing Watch and Mogens L. Mathiesen, SVP, head of strategy and partnerships with the Ocean Data Foundation share their ambition on Earth Day (April 22) for a new partnership to harness the current explosion in new data and technology for better management of the ocean. In
New Partnership Aims to Build a Better Understanding of the Ocean Read More »
Large scale, commercial fishing activity has often historically taken place out of sight – fishing grounds far from shore make them difficult and costly to monitor, jurisdiction considerations impede governance and a patchwork of regulations have not kept pace with advances in fishing technologies. As our global seafood consumption has increased, so has the impact
Life Below Water: Ensuring sustainable consumption and production of seafood Read More »
At Global Fishing Watch, we use cutting-edge technology to visualize, track and share data about global fishing activity in near real-time and for free. Our primary dataset comes from data about a vessel’s identity, type, location, speed, direction and more that is broadcast using the Automatic Identification System (AIS) and collected via satellites and terrestrial
Towards a Radar-Illuminated Ocean Read More »
On March 1st 2020, Indonesian authorities seized five Vietnamese vessels fishing illegally in the North Natuna Sea, located south west of Indonesia’s Natuna Islands, which borders the South China Sea. The successful operation was conducted by patrol vessels from the Indonesian Directorate General (DG) of Surveillance (PSDKP) of The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries
Detecting Dark Fishing Activity in the North Natuna Sea Read More »
In West Africa, fishing, fish processing and fish selling are all part of life for many women. Roughly 6.7 million people directly depend on fisheries in the region, which have a landed value of 3.5 billion USD per year. Across West Africa, women form the majority of fish processors and make up a significant number
Life Below Water: Sustainable fisheries and gender equality Read More »
Once again, Chile shows it is serious about ocean protection. Putting its fishing vessel tracking data on Global Fishing Watch’s public platform will help to build more transparent and sustainable fisheries The May 2019 United Nations report warning of unprecedented rates of extinction of marine life is a wake-up call for the planet. The biggest
Chile Shows Global Leadership On Fisheries Transparency Read More »
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) set ambitious targets to address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, hunger, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation and decent work. SDG 14; Life Below Water, will be in the spotlight throughout 2020 as States come together at multiple international meetings to create and
by Nicola Frost, Tony Long, Stephanie Juwana and Mansi Konar When the UN launched the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) five years ago, the world aligned around the need to end illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing by 2020 (SDG 14.4). Seen then as an achievable target, it is now a deadline we’re going to miss. IUU fishing accounts for nearly
Fast-tracking Law-abiding Ships at Ports Could Help End Illegal Fishing Read More »
Tony Long, Global Fishing Watch Chief Executive Officer, looks back at 2019 and sets a course for 2020 – a pivotal year for ocean governance and conservation. Reality check From five or ten years out, making sustainability commitments for the end of a decade is a seductive proposition for governments and sectors of all varieties.
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
The Global Atlas of AIS-based Fishing Activity Read More »
Fishing vessels with Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) increasing by 10 to 30 percent each year. 19 November 2019, Rome – A new global atlas – the first-ever of its kind – analyses the opportunities and challenges of using Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) to monitor fishing activity around the globe. AIS is a tracking technology designed
New global atlas on using advanced technology to monitor fishing activity Read More »
Global Fishing Watch data assists US Coast Guard patrol in the Pacific. The 2019 patrol produced a threefold increase in vessel boardings and an eightfold increase in identified violations compared to 2018. Captain Adam Morrison has 12 years of experience patrolling the oceans of the world with the United States Coast Guard (USCG) during his 24
On the frontline against illegal fishing in the world’s biggest ocean Read More »
Banda Aceh, 1 November 2019 – Global Fishing Watch (GFW) and Syiah Kuala University, Banda Aceh agreed to start collaborative research and development in the fisheries and marine sector in Indonesia. The Memorandum of Understanding which marked a two-year collaboration was signed by representatives of each party on October 22, 2019 at the Faculty of
