Global Fishing Watch

What Global Fishing Watch actually is

Vessel transmissions are fed through models that infer when a boat is fishing rather than simply transiting, producing a global map of apparent fishing effort. Marine protected area boundaries can be layered on, and vessels that switch their transponders off are flagged as gaps.

Why it is worth your time

Lines of fishing activity pressed hard against a marine reserve boundary and stopping abruptly at the edge make the map read like a fence.

Common questions

Is Global Fishing Watch free?

Yes. Global Fishing Watch is free and does not ask you to register or hand over an email address before you can use it.

How long does Global Fishing Watch take?

Five to fifteen minutes of proper attention. We file it under "Coffee break" — industrial fishing effort, drawn as tracks across the sea.

Does Global Fishing Watch work on a phone?

Global Fishing Watch really wants a mouse and a wide window. It will load on a phone, but the experience is built for desktop.

What kind of site is Global Fishing Watch?

We list it under The Live Planet — what earth is doing, right this second. Lines of fishing activity pressed hard against a marine reserve boundary and stopping abruptly at the edge make the map read like a fence.