Global Fishing Watch announced new partnerships and transparency commitments that strengthen fisheries management, vessel tracking and ocean sustainability across multiple regions globally.
Global Fishing Watch has emerged from the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa, Kenya, with a series of major commitments and partnerships aimed at advancing transparency, accountability and sustainable ocean governance around the world.
The international nonprofit organisation announced new agreements with the governments of Panama and Madagascar, while also launching an ambitious global initiative designed to map millions of small-scale fishing vessels that have historically remained invisible to monitoring systems.
The announcements were made as governments participating in the conference endorsed the Mombasa Declaration, a new international commitment focused on strengthening fisheries transparency and improving access to information about vessel ownership, licensing and fishing activity.
For Global Fishing Watch, the developments signal growing international recognition that transparency is critical to protecting marine ecosystems, combating illegal fishing and supporting sustainable fisheries management.
“The message coming out of Mombasa is clear,” said Tony Long, Chief Executive Officer of Global Fishing Watch.
“The future of sustainable fisheries depends on making activity at sea visible and verifiable — and holding those who fish fully accountable.”
A key outcome of the conference was the endorsement of the Mombasa Declaration by 16 governments from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe and the Pacific. Developed with support from the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency, the declaration seeks to improve accountability at sea and strengthen efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
One of the most significant announcements came from Panama, where authorities committed to publicly sharing vessel monitoring system (VMS) data from nearly 200 domestic fishing vessels through the Global Fishing Watch platform.
The move significantly expands visibility into fishing activities within Panamanian waters and builds on an existing partnership established in 2019 when Panama began publicly sharing tracking data from its international fishing fleet.
Mónica Espinoza Miralles, Global Fishing Watch’s Head of Latin America, described the decision as an important milestone in the country’s journey towards greater transparency and accountability.
“We are thrilled to deepen our collaboration with the Panamanian Authority of Aquatic Resources to strengthen transparency, support evidence-based fisheries management and advance responsible ocean governance,” she said.
According to Espinoza Miralles, Panama’s commitment demonstrates how technology, open data and political leadership can work together to improve fisheries governance and strengthen sustainable ocean management.
Madagascar also announced plans to expand its partnership with Global Fishing Watch. Building on nearly two years of collaboration, the enhanced partnership will support vessel tracking, data analysis, capacity development and strengthened monitoring and surveillance activities.
The initiative aims to place transparency at the centre of Madagascar’s fisheries management strategy while helping improve the country’s ability to protect marine resources and support coastal communities.
In another major development, Global Fishing Watch unveiled a new partnership with the Minderoo Foundation that aims to create the world’s first comprehensive map of both industrial and small-scale fishing activity.
Using advanced satellite imagery, machine learning and data analytics, the project will seek to identify and track millions of artisanal fishing vessels that are currently absent from most global fisheries datasets.
The initiative is scheduled to launch on 1 July 2026 and is expected to provide governments and fisheries managers with a far more complete understanding of human activity at sea.
The project could play a critical role in improving fisheries management, reducing overfishing and supporting the sustainable use of marine resources.
Technology and innovation were also central themes throughout the conference.
At the Scientific and Research Pre-Conference Symposium, Global Fishing Watch Chief Scientist David Kroodsma presented research using artificial intelligence and high-resolution satellite imagery to identify small-scale fishing activity across Africa’s coastline.
The research detected more than 30,000 small-scale vessels and revealed areas where industrial and artisanal fisheries compete for the same marine resources.
“For the first time, satellite imagery and artificial intelligence are giving us an unprecedented view of small-scale fishing activity across African waters,” said Kroodsma.
“This is about more than technology — it’s about empowering governments and communities with the information they need to make better decisions for the future of the ocean.”
The findings have significant implications for fisheries management, conservation planning and the protection of livelihoods that depend on marine resources.
The conference also highlighted Africa’s growing leadership in fisheries transparency. During a dedicated side event, governments and stakeholders showcased reforms aimed at strengthening fisheries governance and improving accountability across the continent.
Countries including Ghana and Cameroon were recognised for initiatives designed to increase transparency, strengthen enforcement and combat illegal fishing activities.
For Global Fishing Watch, the momentum generated at the conference demonstrates that transparency is increasingly becoming a global expectation rather than an exception.
“What we’ve seen in Mombasa is clear evidence that ocean transparency is becoming a global expectation,” said Long.
“From new government commitments and partnerships to advances in technology and data, momentum is building around a simple principle: we cannot sustainably manage what we cannot see.”
As nations work to balance food security, economic development and environmental sustainability, initiatives that improve visibility and accountability at sea are becoming increasingly important.
The commitments announced in Mombasa highlight how partnerships, technology and open data can support better decision-making, protect marine ecosystems and create a more sustainable future for fisheries and coastal communities around the world.
