How do governments keep track of fishing vessels at sea? 🌊 VMS is a secure tracking system that sends vessel position data to fisheries authorities, helping them monitor activity, assess compliance and strengthen enforcement. 🎥 Watch our explainer

How can AI reveal small fishing vessels that are almost invisible from space? 🛰️🌊 In our latest Ask the Expert, Yuexin Li explains how high-resolution satellite imagery and AI can detect small vessels and help close a major monitoring blind spot. 👉 https://bit.ly/4h6r0dR

The ocean covers 70% of our planet, yet much of what happens on it remains unseen. 🌊 Global Fishing Watch uses open data and technology to make human activity more visible—supporting stronger ocean governance and marine protection. https://globalfishingwatch.org/

🚨 Too much of what happens at sea remains out of sight. Our new Vessel Tracking Best Practices Guide is live, with practical steps to help governments strengthen tracking, improve transparency and turn better data into better decisions. 📘 Read: https://bit.ly/4r2UMEX

GALAPEX 2026: A look back 🌊 Global Fishing Watch joined 12 countries and four organizations to strengthen cooperation against illegal fishing. Our data helped inform patrol planning and realistic exercises at sea. Stronger ocean protection starts with shared information.

AI, satellites and vessel tracking are changing how we see activity at sea. 🌊🛰️ We spoke to Dr. Jennifer Raynor on how these technologies can reveal previously hidden activity and support better decisions for our ocean. Read more: https://bit.ly/46bxza4

How can AI and satellite data reshape the way we understand & protect our oceans? Join @globalfishingwatch.org’s @ceo.globalfishingwatch.org and @ai2.bsky.social's Namrata Kolla at Devex Impact House @ UNGA81 for a conversation on technology, transparency, and ocean governance. 👉 dvx.cm/wmp35d

GALAPEX 2026 is underway 🌊 Global Fishing Watch is supporting the multinational exercise with historical fishing activity analysis and pre-patrol reporting to help inform realistic scenarios, patrol planning and maritime awareness. Now, the exercise is moving into the Galápagos.

🌊 The next generation shouldn’t have to wait to be heard on ocean sustainability. Abigail Kamau, international policy associate at Global Fishing Watch, says young people need to take up space in ocean decision-making and speak on the issues that matter to them. 🎥 Shamim Wassi Nyanda at OOC 2026

🌊 Visibility at sea is the foundation of stronger ocean governance. Our 2025 PBS Spotlight On feature explores how vessel tracking, open data and political leadership can help reveal activity that has too often remained out of sight. 🎥 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPU3CEz-mHw

Tracking the Tide: Unveiling the Hidden World of Vessel Activity

YouTube video by Global Fishing Watch

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Five years ago, Brazil made its fishing vessel tracking data public on the Global Fishing Watch map. 🌊 Now, that transparency is helping strengthen monitoring, compliance and fisheries management—and the partnership has been renewed through 2031. Read more: https://bit.ly/4xb6Ndw

GALAPEX 2026 is underway in Ecuador 🌊 Global Fishing Watch is supporting the exercise with historical data analysis and specialized pre-patrol reports to strengthen situational awareness and help inform patrol planning. Follow along for updates from land and sea.

🌊 Who does the ocean belong to? The answer is all of us. According to David Kroodsma, knowing how the ocean is being used is essential to protecting it. Learn why greater transparency starts with making activity at sea visible: https://bit.ly/4d8ZREI

Three illegal trawlers seized in Gabon after satellite intelligence helped guide enforcement action. 🌊 Global Fishing Watch worked with Gabonese authorities and Operation Albacore to turn vessel tracking data into targeted patrol intelligence. 👉 Read the full story: https://bit.ly/4gbQEid

Protecting Rapa Nui’s ocean, from tradition to technology 🌊 Across 700,000 km² of protected waters, Indigenous leadership, local knowledge and Marine Manager are helping strengthen monitoring and turn protection into action. 🔗 Learn more: https://bit.ly/4tLmhn6

🌊 More activity at sea means a greater need for transparency. @ceo.globalfishingwatch.org says information about human activity at sea should be public and accessible. Because more transparency means more accountability, responsible fishing and thriving coastal communities. https://bit.ly/4d8ZREI

For the first time, Global Fishing Watch is joining GALAPEX 2026 — a multinational exercise strengthening cooperation against illegal fishing. We’re contributing pre-patrol analysis to support operational planning. Stay tuned for updates. 📷 Preparations during a pre-exercise meeting in Ecuador.

High-resolution Planet imagery is revealing previously unseen small-scale fishing activity across Africa’s coastlines. 🛰️ Would this dataset support your research? Email research@globalfishingwatch.org. Then take our two-minute quiz to test your knowledge. https://bit.ly/3SbQD43

🇵🇪 Making the invisible visible in Peru Since 2018, almost 2,000 vessels have been made visible through our platform, supporting stronger fisheries oversight and action against IUU fishing. Learn more about our work in Peru: https://bit.ly/4fZoxkN

The ocean is one of our greatest allies against climate change, absorbing over 90% of the excess heat caused by human activity. Global Fishing Watch helps make activity at sea more visible, supporting stronger fisheries management, marine protection and ocean governance. https://bit.ly/4d8ZREI

🌊 Join Global Fishing Watch as our chief impact officer! Lead our global program and help turn science, technology and partnerships into measurable impact for ocean governance. 📍 Remote: US, UK, Costa Rica, Panama or Spain 🕒 Apply by August 31 https://bit.ly/4w2pyyu

From national monitoring to coordinated regional action 🌊 The CMAR MCS Working Group brought together Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Ecuador to strengthen intelligence-led monitoring and collaboration across the Eastern Tropical Pacific. Proud to support this work alongside @wildaid.bsky.social

Brazil’s São Pedro, São Paulo, Trindade and Martin Vaz islands are unique ocean sanctuaries 🐠. With Marine Manager, co-developed by Global Fishing Watch and @donabertarelli.bsky.social, authorities can better monitor and protect these remote waters. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4dhttOT

Mangroves protect coastlines, support fisheries and provide vital habitat for marine life. By making human activity at sea more visible, Global Fishing Watch helps strengthen the ocean management these connected coastal ecosystems depend on. #WorldMangroveDay 🌿🌊

More than 5 years later, this NBC News investigation spotlighting Global Fishing Watch research remains a powerful example of satellite technology in action. With nearly 800 hidden Chinese vessels exposed in North Korean waters and their links to collapsing squid stocks. https://nbcnews.to/4hqU3uh

The deadly secret of China’s illegal fishing armada: It’s killing impoverished North Korean squid fishermen

China is sending the world’s largest illegal fleet to fish for squid in North Korean waters, resulting in the deaths of impoverished North Korean fishermen.

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Do you know what ultimate beneficial ownership (UBO) means? 🇵🇦 Panama has published UBO data for dozens of vessels in its international fleet, revealing who ultimately controls or profits from their activity, and setting a new standard for fisheries transparency. More: https://bit.ly/44vE46H

🌊 The Adriatic Sea is home to one of Europe’s most fragile marine ecosystems. Using Marine Manager, co-founded by Dona Bertarelli, Global Fishing Watch helped map fishing activity, reveal hidden risks and support a new Fisheries Restricted Area in the Otranto Channel in 2024. https://bit.ly/4dhttOT

More than one-third of sharks, rays and chimaeras are threatened with extinction, with overfishing driving much of the decline. This #SharkAwarenessDay, we’re calling for greater transparency at sea — because we can’t protect what we can’t see. 🦈🌊 https://globalfishingwatch.org/

For the people of Rapa Nui, protecting the ocean means protecting culture, livelihoods and tradition. 🌊 But protection is only as strong as its implementation. Marine Manager helps communities monitor activity at sea and strengthen sustainable ocean governance. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4tLmhn6

🌊 What does it take to protect one of the most biodiverse places on Earth? Costa Rica's Cocos Island is a vital blue corridor for sharks, tuna and manta rays. Through Marine Manager, co-founded by @donabertarelli.bsky.social, authorities can better protect it. https://bit.ly/4dhttOT