Global Fishing Watch unveiled its 2024 annual report, highlighting a year of remarkable progress and groundbreaking achievements in fostering transparent and fair ocean governance. The report details the organization’s pioneering efforts in researching hidden human activities at sea, driving policy changes at the United Nations, and collaborating with governments globally to strengthen ocean management strategies.

As demand for technological solutions in ocean governance rises, the report reveals a significant 50 percent increase in the use of Global Fishing Watch’s tools, with 11,000 new registered map users in 2024. Additionally, the organization made impressive strides across its key initiatives, tracking nearly 900,000 vessels on its flagship map, analyzing 11 million gigabytes of satellite imagery, and receiving nearly 1,500 research citations. These accomplishments reflect the deepening partnerships between Global Fishing Watch, governments, and the research community to influence policy and advance oceanic knowledge.

“Technology remains at the heart of our work, but it’s essential that the tools we create are in the hands of those who need them most,” said Global Fishing Watch chief executive officer, Tony Long, noting that in 2025 the international organization would be “even more dedicated to building partnerships with countries, agencies and civil society, and to influencing policies and practices at national and international levels.”

“Global Fishing Watch is advancing a more accountable and sustainable future for the world’s ocean. Together, we can use technology and transparency to drive better governance and safeguard marine resources,” he added.  

A New Era in Ocean Governance

Global Fishing Watch’s recent triumphs, highlighted in the annual report, showcase a wave of progress across its diverse initiatives. These achievements span from expanding access to open-source tools and strengthening partnerships with governments and multilateral organizations to groundbreaking research that has revolutionized the conversation on ocean governance and fisheries management.

In early 2024, Global Fishing Watch published a pioneering study in Nature, unveiling the first-ever global map of large-vessel traffic and offshore infrastructure. This landmark research provides an unprecedented view of previously hidden industrial ocean activity. The map offers valuable insights for governments, scientists, and civil society, enabling them to identify potential illegal activity hotspots, detect where industrial fishing vessels may be infringing on artisanal fishing grounds, and visualize vessel traffic patterns. Additionally, this study plays a crucial role in combating climate change by enhancing the accuracy of greenhouse gas emissions estimates at sea.

Simultaneously, Global Fishing Watch continued to expand its network of government collaborations, securing new partnership agreements with the Governments of Greece and Panama, as well as the West African Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission and the Gulf of Guinea Regional Fisheries Commission. These partnerships, according to Long, will provide critical insights to decision-makers and further strengthen global efforts to improve fisheries management.

“Our growing network of partners reflects a rising recognition among governments and multilateral institutions of Global Fishing Watch’s role in advancing transparent and effective ocean governance,” Long stated. “With collaboration, political commitment and open data, we can drive real impact and create lasting change to ensure our ocean is healthy, productive and resilient.”

From Climate Action to Biodiversity

The past year underscored the expanding role of Global Fishing Watch’s tools, with applications extending beyond fisheries management into the fields of climate action and biodiversity conservation.

In late November 2024, Global Fishing Watch joined forces with the University of California, Santa Barbara, and Climate TRACE at the United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan. Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore highlighted the integration of Global Fishing Watch’s unique data into Climate TRACE’s platform, which maps and estimates emissions from ocean-faring industrial vessels. Reflecting on the collaboration, Global Fishing Watch’s Chief Scientist David Kroodsma praised the partnership, noting that the data would provide “a powerful new understanding of vessel emissions, helping to shape policies aimed at reducing them.”

Additionally, a 2024 study led by the University of Washington, utilizing Global Fishing Watch data, made a significant contribution to marine biodiversity protection. The research, published in Science, revealed that fewer than 7 percent of global whale and ship collision hotspots have adequate protection measures. The study, which gained global media attention, emphasized the urgent need for stronger oversight in areas where whale migration and feeding zones overlap with shipping lanes, demonstrating the growing potential of Global Fishing Watch’s tools in safeguarding marine life and ecosystems.

Similarly, a partnership with the Government of Albania intensified efforts to combat the Mediterranean’s overfishing crisis. With three-quarters of the region’s fish stocks overfished, this collaboration enabled Global Fishing Watch to conduct a detailed analysis of fishing activities in the Otranto Channel. The findings highlighted risks to vulnerable marine ecosystems, such as deep-water corals, and contributed to the creation of the Otranto Channel Fisheries Restricted Area, which aims to ensure sustainable fisheries and protect the region’s unique marine biodiversity.

2025: A Year of Big Ambitions

Global Fishing Watch’s 2024 annual report marks a key moment in the organization’s journey toward improving ocean governance through transparency, technological innovation, and global collaboration. Looking forward, the report highlights an ambitious agenda for 2025, including intensified advocacy for vessel tracking policies at major international forums such as the 10th Our Ocean Conference in Busan, South Korea, and the U.N. Ocean Conference in Nice, France.

This year, Global Fishing Watch will continue pushing for an international vessel tracking agreement requiring fishing vessels operating outside their flag State’s waters to be publicly tracked, with this information shared widely beyond just governments. Such an agreement would provide authorities with a clearer understanding of human activity at sea, helping them protect the ocean and manage its resources sustainably.

Furthermore, the organization is set to advance its open ocean project, which aims to map all human activity at sea. By leveraging innovative technology and vast satellite data, Global Fishing Watch will continue to uncover previously unseen activities, empowering stakeholders to make informed decisions and improve ocean management strategies.

“With demand for our unique tools continuing to grow, Global Fishing Watch remains committed to expanding partnerships, advancing research, and delivering actionable data that supports sustainable ocean governance so that transparency becomes the rule rather than the exception,” Tony Long concluded. “As we look ahead to a year of big ambitions, Global Fishing Watch will build on the momentum created in 2024, ensuring that open data and innovative technology are harnessed to protect marine ecosystems, combat illegal fishing, and foster a healthier ocean for future generations.”

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