What is Global Fishing Watch?
Global Fishing Watch is an independent, international nonprofit that publishes data about human activity at sea. Its map describes itself as an open-access platform for visualising and analysing vessel-based activity. It turns vessel tracking data, mainly AIS signals and some government VMS data, into layers that show apparent fishing effort, vessel tracks, encounters between fishing vessels and carriers, night lights detected by satellite, and general shipping traffic.
The organisation was founded in 2015 by Oceana, SkyTruth and Google, and became an independent nonprofit in 2017. Without logging in you can search for vessels, filter fishing effort by flag, date or gear type, combine layers, measure distances and make animations. A free account adds downloadable reports, detailed event data along vessel tracks, custom areas and saved workspaces. Fishing is inferred from how a vessel moves, so the map shows apparent fishing rather than confirmed catches.
Main Features
- Apparent fishing effort from AIS data, filterable by flag, date and gear type
- Vessel search with tracks and events such as port visits and encounters
- Encounter layer for fishing vessels meeting carrier vessels at sea
- Night light vessel detections from satellites
- Shipping layer for cargo, tanker and other traffic
- Measure distances, combine layers and create animations
- Free registration for downloadable reports, custom polygons and workspaces
- Upload your own data to overlay on the map
How to Get Started with Global Fishing Watch
- Open globalfishingwatch.org and go to the map.
- Turn on the fishing effort or shipping layer and set the date range you want.
- Search for a vessel by name or identifier to see its track and events.
- Register for a free account if you need to download reports or save a workspace.
Global Fishing Watch Pricing
Global Fishing Watch is free for everyone. The map can be used without an account, and a free registration unlocks downloads, detailed event data and saved workspaces.
Who Should Use It?
- Journalists investigating illegal, unreported or unregulated fishing
- Researchers studying fishing pressure and marine protected areas
- Fisheries managers and enforcement agencies
- Ocean conservation groups and NGOs
- Analysts tracking vessel behaviour such as encounters at sea
Global Fishing Watch Alternatives
- MarineTraffic: a live ship tracking map with vessel details and port calls.
- Copernicus Browser: free Sentinel satellite imagery for checking what was at a place on a given day.
- North Star: a research platform for journalists that brings maps, records and geolocation tools together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Global Fishing Watch free?
Yes. Global Fishing Watch is free for everyone. You can use the map without an account, and a free registration adds downloads and saved workspaces.
Does Global Fishing Watch show every boat?
No. It relies mostly on AIS signals that vessels broadcast, plus VMS data shared by some governments and satellite night light detections. Vessels that do not broadcast, or switch their transponders off, can be missing, and fishing is inferred from movement, so it is shown as apparent fishing.
How should journalists use Global Fishing Watch data?
Treat it as a strong lead rather than proof. Check vessel identities against registries, confirm events with other sources such as satellite imagery or port records, and note the limits of AIS coverage when you publish.