Transparency
Transparency is critical to understanding activities taking place across the ocean and where those activities pose a risk to marine ecosystems, fisheries and coastal communities. It is also vital to reducing illegal and unreported fishing and promoting responsible ocean stewardship.
Global Fishing Watch’s 2030 goals are founded on the principle of transparency — the act of making specific ocean and vessel data, as well as the policies and decisions that surround them, available and accessible to those that need them. We are committed to promoting international cooperation and transparency around ocean data to advance a new era of ocean governance.
If we cannot see what is happening in our ocean, we cannot take the necessary steps to protect it from overexploitation. However, with better oversight of fishing activity, as well as the vessels engaged in it, flag, coastal, port and market States can take action and develop policy based on what is happening on the water. This knowledge allows for a more dynamic response to the impact of human activity at sea and can help support regional and international negotiations, leading to more robust management measures and international policy.
The United Nations General Assembly
Transparency for greater ocean governance
Despite its importance, the ocean remains the least observed part of our planet. Without a global picture of our activity at sea, we cannot truly understand the impact humans have on life below water. This lack of visibility is compounded by a patchwork of regulations in fisheries management and fosters an environment where illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing can thrive among the confusion, gaps and loopholes.
We believe governance can only be improved through increased transparency of human activity at sea and the impact this activity has on marine biodiversity, local fisheries and overall ocean sustainability.
Advances in machine learning and satellite technology are rapidly transforming our ability to generate new insights. We believe that combining transparency with technology is transformative in providing information to everyone who needs it so that every fisheries scientist, management agency, community and policymaker around the world can harness data and technology to help safeguard the global ocean commons.
Using cutting-edge data analysis, Global Fishing Watch is helping governments and maritime security agencies strengthen their methods of monitoring and control and enabling countries to meet their sustainability goals.
Underpinning all fishing management and fisheries compliance choices is a need for decision-makers to know where fishing vessels have been operating, for how long and if these activities are authorised.
Accessible data
Publishing data such as vessel identification, authorisation, ownership and tracking information can allow decision-makers to cross-check claims relating to vessel history, activities and permissions.
In particular, fisheries transparency can support:
- Data collection required by regional fisheries bodies and their Member States to inform science-based management measures.
- Monitoring, control and surveillance efforts by flag States to ensure their registered fishing and carrier vessels operate legally.
- Risk-based inspections conducted on vessels seeking entry into port States, ensuring catch is accurately reported.
- Coastal States’ efforts to prevent their waters from being targeted by unscrupulous operators.
- Assessment of vessel activities by market actors seeking greater traceability to conduct due diligence throughout their supply chain.
- Effective marine protections that safeguard species and their ecosystems.
- Enhanced public accountability, enabling informed participation by civil society. This in turn opens the way for greater scrutiny and more inclusive, consultative decision-making.
Global Fishing Watch uses a combination of publicly broadcast automatic identification system, or AIS, data alongside publicly shared vessel monitoring system (VMS) data, which is now required by many governments, to provide a view of what is taking place across the ocean. When this data is combined with vessel identification, authorisation and ownership information within our platform, it highlights where further action may be needed to confirm vessel activities. On an individual vessel level, this can support a range of monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) efforts. Collectively, this can provide authorities and stakeholders with a comprehensive picture of activity over time, supporting a wide range of decision-making processes and fostering greater collaboration to address current and future challenges.
Global Fishing Watch works with governments around the globe to support them in the use of transparency as a tool to inform their actions and policy-making efforts. Part of this includes incorporating their public tracking and identification information into our platform. While collaborating with our partners, we also support them to strengthen their vessel registries to include unique identifiers such as International Maritime Organization Numbers (or national equivalents for small vessels), fishing and transshipment authorisations, licence conditions and ultimate beneficial ownership details. By setting up processes to collect, use and publish this information consistently, governments strengthen their domestic management efforts and enable others to benefit from the interoperability of this data.
Transparency in Focus
Thanks to the commitment and combined support from government champions, industry leaders and academia, in just a few years, data transparency has become the gold standard across fisheries in one of the most productive and biodiverse waters in the world: Peru. Discover more in our new project Transparency in Focus.
The Search for Squid
The waters off South America are home to one of the most lucrative fisheries: the jumbo squid. Sustainable management of squid fisheries depends on effective vessel monitoring. Global Fishing Watch uses cutting-edge technology to analyze this fishery and enhance monitoring, control and surveillance efforts in the region.
