World-first ocean map to reveal true scale of global fishing activity
A world-first global map capable of tracking fishing activity across every class of vessel – from industrial fleets to small-scale boats and the previously hidden “dark fleet” – is set to transform the way fisheries are understood and protected around the world.
The landmark initiative is the centrepiece of a new partnership between Minderoo Foundation and Global Fishing Watch, announced today at the Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa, Kenya.
The partnership will combine vessel tracking data with advanced satellite technologies, including radar and high-resolution optical imagery, to create the first comprehensive global map of fishing effort by vessel size.
Dr Andrew Forrest AO said the map, which will be publicly accessible and expected to go live within two years, would address one of the most significant blind spots in global ocean management.
“The world is facing an overfishing crisis, yet we still lack a clear picture of how much fishing is actually taking place,” Dr Forrest said.
“Today, there is no globally consistent way to measure fishing effort or accurately account for the vessels operating at sea. Governments and fisheries managers are often forced to rely on incomplete and delayed reporting, making it extraordinarily difficult to understand whether fishing pressure is rising or falling.”
For the first time at a global scale, the project will also bring into view the world’s “dark fleet” – vessels that do not transmit their location and are more likely to engage in illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
By exposing this previously hidden activity, the platform will enable governments and authorities to identify where illegal fishing is occurring and prioritise targeted enforcement and management actions.
“By shining a light on these invisible fleets, we will create the clearest picture ever assembled of human activity at sea,” Dr Forrest said.
“This is genuinely uncharted territory. No one has attempted to map global fishing effort at this scale before. But if we are serious about protecting marine ecosystems and ensuring sustainable fisheries for future generations, we must first understand the true extent of what is happening at sea.”
The new platform will convert fragmented and incomplete information into a consistent, near real-time resource that can support governments, fisheries managers, researchers and conservation organisations to make better-informed decisions.
By providing unprecedented insight into where, when and how fishing occurs, the partnership has the potential to strengthen fisheries governance, combat overfishing, improve transparency and help secure the long-term health and resilience of the world’s oceans.
“Too much of today’s fishing remains invisible to those tasked with managing our ocean,” Tony Long, CEO of Global Fishing Watch, said.
“Delayed and inconsistent data leave critical gaps in our collective understanding of fishing activity at sea. This is especially true when considering the smaller-scale fleets that support millions of livelihoods around the world.
“Through invaluable support from Minderoo Foundation, Global Fishing Watch will combine vessel tracking and satellite imagery to produce the first high-resolution dataset of fishing effort that includes small-scale fishing vessels,” Long continued.
“This will transform scattered, fragmented data into actionable insights for policymakers and advance the transparency needed for better ocean governance everywhere.”
The database will illuminate small-scale fishing activity, including millions of vessels that are critical to food security and support livelihoods across the globe but remain largely absent from existing datasets.
By bringing these fisheries into view, the platform will empower small-scale fishers to be recognised, strengthening their ability to advocate for their rights, access resources, and protect the waters and territories they depend on.