Ocean & coastal analytics · Global Fishing Watch (non-profit, founded by Oceana, SkyTruth and Google)
Global Fishing Watch
Non-profit platform that tracks global fishing and maritime vessel activity using satellite data and machine learning.
Global Fishing Watch is an independent non-profit founded by Oceana, SkyTruth and Google that turns satellite AIS signals, radar and optical imagery into public data on where fishing and other vessel activity happens at sea. Its interactive map lets users track individual vessels, detect "dark" vessels not broadcasting AIS, and monitor activity inside marine protected areas, while its APIs and open datasets support researchers, journalists, NGOs and government fisheries and enforcement agencies. Tools include a public web map, a Marine Manager portal for area authorities, and a Vessel Viewer for vessel-specific history. As a philanthropically funded non-profit, its core datasets, map and APIs are free and openly licensed rather than sold.
At a glance
| Vendor | Global Fishing Watch (non-profit, founded by Oceana, SkyTruth and Google) |
|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free |
| Free tier | Yes |
| Deployment | Cloud |
| Open source | No |
| Best for | Fisheries managers, researchers, NGOs and journalists monitoring global fishing and maritime activity. |
Pricing
Free non-profit platform funded by philanthropic and partner organizations; core map, data and APIs are open.
Pricing has not been verified yet — see the vendor's site.
Features
- Interactive global map of vessel activity from AIS, radar and optical satellite data
- Detection of vessels not broadcasting AIS ("dark" vessels)
- Marine Manager portal for monitoring protected areas
- Vessel Viewer for individual vessel history
- Public APIs for programmatic data access
- Open datasets and published research on fishing effort
Integrations
Profile last reviewed September 21, 2026