Using Vessel Viewer to Strengthen Seafood Supply Chain Due Diligence
Using Vessel Viewer to Strengthen Seafood Supply Chain Due Diligence
- Published
Director of Program Initiatives, Global Programs
A practical framework for retailers and suppliers seeking to assess risk and strengthen supply chains
In an era of rising global market expectations and shifting regulatory landscapes, seafood companies face a pivotal challenge — ensuring that their supply chains remain free from illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and human rights abuses.
Today, commercial buyers, international regulators and consumers are demanding unprecedented levels of accountability. Meeting these expectations requires more than static documentation or annual surveys. It demands clear visibility into what actually happens on the open ocean.
To help the seafood industry put policy into practice, Global Fishing Watch has partnered with FishWise and Sustainable Fisheries Partnership to develop a comprehensive, practical guide, “Using Vessel Viewer to Strengthen Seafood Supply Chain Due Diligence.” Designed for seafood companies, supply chain trade partners, fisheries managers and technical advisors alike, this resource provides a structured blueprint for turning complex fishing vessel data into actionable insights to inform daily risk mitigation and due diligence efforts.
A new layer of supply chain visibility
Rather than recreating traceability platforms or replacing direct supplier relationships, Vessel Viewer acts as a non-invasive layer of secondary verification of vessel activity that can complement existing due diligence systems.. It allows companies to integrate publicly available, vessel-level dynamic tracking into their existing responsible sourcing frameworks and programs, allowing companies to cross-reference suppliers’ claims and reports against observed vessel behaviors.
Grounding due diligence efforts using open-access vessel-level data empowers seafood companies to:
- Cross-check documentation: Verify that reported catch origin and authorizations align with a vessel’s actual activity track.
- Identify potential risks early: Spot operational anomalies, such as unexplained gaps in tracking signals, to determine the cause and where deeper investigation is warranted.
- Prioritize actions efficiently: Allocate limited resources to the higher-risk activities, regions, gear types, or business relationships.
- Strengthen supply chain relationships: Move away from passive audits and toward constructive, data-informed conversations directly with key supply chain partners.
Tailored value across the seafood value chain
Because transparency benefits every stage of the supply chain differently, the guidance outlines specific, practical applications unique to individual business models:
- Seafood suppliers & processors: Strengthen internal due diligence systems, streamline responses to increasingly complex buyer questionnaires, and clearly demonstrate verification efforts to set operations apart in competitive markets.
- Retailers, restaurants and hospitality groups: Validate corporate sustainability claims, prioritize data driven supplier engagement, and mitigate brand exposure by establishing robust supply chain governance.
- NGOs, consultancies and technical advisors: Deploy an efficient due diligence framework to help corporate partners transition toward practical, risk-mitigated sourcing and proactive ocean stewardship.
Grounded in real-world application
To make these concepts accessible, the guide features real-world case studies detailing how both buyers and suppliers have successfully navigated vessel-level risk. These operational scenarios walk through:
- Identifying initial red flags
- Cross-referencing findings with secondary data sources
- Conducting constructive supplier follow-ups and
- Transparently communicating due diligence outcomes to stakeholders
Crucially, the guide emphasizes an essential principle: Vessel Viewer insights serve as a starting point for inquiry, not definitive proof of illegal activity. Data anomalies should not trigger immediate commercial penalties or contract cancellations. Instead, they serve as objective prompts for collaborative dialogue, formal information requests and targeted joint remediation.
Start small, scale over time
Implementing meaningful supply chain oversight does not require a complete operational overhaul. Whether a team is starting small by reviewing a single high-risk fleet or working to integrate automated, vessel-level screening across a global supply chain, this guidance offers scalable recommendations that align with existing seafood supply chain workflows.