Fishing Vessel Ocean Observing Network: An Emerging Collaborative Global Network

Integrated multidisciplinary ocean observations are critical for understanding ocean processes and supporting robust climate- and ocean-related forecasts, which inform sustainable fisheries management, adaptation strategies that reduce risk, and increased coastal resilience. However, subsurface oceanographic and biogeochemical data is scarce in coastal, shelf, and boundary regions due to the challenges of deploying traditional free-drifting ocean observing platforms in these dynamic environments. 

Coastal areas are vital for fishing. Therefore, not only do fishing activities coincide with spatio-temporal ocean data gaps, but fishing vessels serve as platforms for a range of oceanographic instruments, and many types of fishing gear already profile the water column. By eliminating the two largest cost components of ocean observing (the platform and deployment of that platform), innovative sensors can gather valuable subsurface data along the ride at a fraction of the cost. An example of this approach is given by the Moana project, in which a cost-effective smart sensor was deployed on fishing gear to automatically download a thermal profile even on vessels with limited power and electronics. Approximately 250 vessels reversed the coastal data gaps created by the Argo program’s success in the open oceans and demonstrated substantial error-reducing capabilities in high-resolution regional ocean models. Similarly, a compact ferrybox-type style flow-through system is used in Portugal to continuously measure temperature, salinity, chlorophyll, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), pH, Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP), and turbidity. 

This approach is intrinsically inclusive as cost-effective sensors increase accessibility in historically underserved regions and non-traditional stakeholders are empowered to improve sustainability, profitability, and resilience in their own communities. Data from the Environmental Monitors on Lobster Traps and Large Trawlers (eMOLT) Program is used in the American lobster (Homarus americanus) stock assessment and improves forecasts for US Coast Guard search and rescue operations. The Moana Project provided analyses and ocean forecasts of coastal circulation, marine heatwaves, and connectivity to New Zealand’s seafood industry and other stakeholders. The AdriFOOS (Adriatic Fishery and Oceanography Observing System) Program is one of the longest-running programs to use fishing boats for the collection of scientifically-useful datasets. Fishers directly benefit from these data streams as exemplified by the Smart Fisheries Network (SFiN) led by Kyushu University (Japan), which assimilates CTD and ADCP data from over 200 vessels into coastal ocean models that enable participating fishers to operate both more safely and efficiently. Sensors have additionally been installed on a range of artisanal and industrial vessels across Ghana, The Bahamas, Tanzania, the Bering Sea, and Australia. 

To maximize these benefits and democratize ocean observation, the Fishing Vessel Ocean Observing Network (FVON) is an emerging network within the Global Ocean Observing System that coordinates common standards for technology and deployment, establishes best practices, standardizes data flows, and facilitates observation uptake across programs. Through these activities, FVON seeks to achieve its mission: to foster collaborative fishing vessel-based observations, improve ocean predictions and forecasting, promote sustainable fishing practices, and facilitate a data-driven blue economy.