Help Hub

Frequently Asked Questions

• About Global Fishing Watch

  • Does Global Fishing Watch track illegal activity? Has Global Fishing Watch ever identified illegal fishing activity?
  • Can citizen watchdogs use GFW to monitor fishing activity?
  • What is Global Fishing Watch?
  • What distinguishes Global Fishing Watch from similar organizations?
  • What is the relationship between Oceana, SkyTruth, Google and Global Fishing Watch?

• Vessel Tracking Technology

  • What are the different vessel tracking systems out there and how can they be used together?
  • What is AIS?
  • What is VMS?
  • What is VIIRS?
  • What vessels are required to use AIS? What are global regulations and requirements for vessels to carry AIS?

• Our Transparency Program

  • How transparent should fishing be?
  • Which countries have committed to transparency by publishing VMS data with Global Fishing Watch?
  • What is Global Fishing Watch’s VMS transparency initiative?
  • Why is transparency important?
  • Why should governments publish their VMS or other data on our platform?

• Our Map and Data

  • What do we mean by fishing activity?
  • Where does the data come from?
  • How does it work?
  • How accurately does GFW identify fishing activity?
  • Is every point I see on the map fishing activity?

• Map Basics

  • How do I view different parts of the world?
  • How do I search for fishing activity within a certain time range?
  • How can I save or share my current view?
  • How can I embed my workspace in another site?
  • Which browser can I use to access the Global Fishing Watch map?

• Map: Vessel Search and Fleets

  • How do I create a custom fleet?
  • How do I search for a specific vessel?
  • Why can’t I find a vessel I am searching for?
  • Why do multiple vessels show up when I search for a vessel?

• Map: Layers - Static

  • What is the significance of the EEZs?
  • How do I view fishing activity in/around MPAs, EEZs, or High Seas Pockets?
  • Why am I not seeing certain Marine Protected Areas on Global Fishing Watch?
  • Why is there fishing in an area marked as an MPA?
  • Why are there large circles in which there is no apparent fishing?

• Map: Layers - Activity

  • How do I view different types of data? (AIS, VMS, VIIRS)
  • What is a vessel encounter? How can I interpret the data in the vessel encounter layer?
  • How can I interpret VIIRS data in the map?
  • How do I upload my own custom layer?

• Map: Filters

  • What are the filters and how do I use them?

• Map: Registration Help

  • How do I register for a Global Fishing Watch account?
  • How do I reset my password?
  • How do I opt out of receiving marketing communications?

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