The Fishing Vessel Ocean Observing Network (FVON): Towards advancing collaborative observations for the sustainability of our oceans

As climate change advances, there is increasing pressure to better understand and monitor the ocean. Oceanographic data play a crucial role in shaping policies and decision-making, from ecosystem-based fisheries management to preparing for extreme events. Improvements in these areas are essential for safeguarding the livelihoods, food security, and safety of coastal communities worldwide. 

 

Although there have been significant advancements in monitoring essential ocean variables, critical data gaps remain, limiting both short-term forecasts and long-term predictions. Paradoxically, more subsurface data is available from the open ocean than from nearshore areas (Van Vranken et al. 2023). Coastal, shelf, and boundary regions are under-observed due to the challenges of deploying traditional autonomous or free-drifting ocean observing platforms in these dynamic environments. However, this same dynamism often attracts fish—making these areas vital for fishing. 

 

The spatio-temporal ocean data gaps often coincide with fishing activities. This fortuity presents a tremendous complementarity with existing networks with the opportunity to transform ocean observation. Fishing vessels can serve as platforms for a range of oceanographic instruments, enabling cost-effective and scalable data collection. Many types of fishing gear already profile the water column, providing an opportunity for attached sensors to gather valuable subsurface data along the ride. By coupling precise fishing location data with environmental measurements, the data can then optimize physical models of ecosystem dynamics and improve meteorological forecasting. 

 

Integrating cost-effective data collection with fishing activities is also an intrinsically inclusive approach to ocean observing. The unique collaboration empowers non-traditional stakeholders to adopt innovative solutions for improved sustainability, profitability, and resilience in their own communities. In addition, the cost-effective implementation allows for unprecedented global expansion, especially into historically underserved geographies. 

 

To maximize these benefits and complement existing ocean observing networks, the Fishing Vessel Ocean Observing Network (FVON) has been established as an emerging network within the Global Ocean Observing System, facilitating global impact through local collaborations. Intensive co-design with fishers from various horizons—ranging from industrial vessels to Indigenous artisanal canoes and extending from the equator to polar regions—has outlined the need for FVON to coordinate common standards for technology and deployment, establish best practices, standardize data flows, and facilitate observation uptake across programs. Through these activities, FVON seeks to achieve its mission: to foster collaborative fishing vessel-based observations, democratize ocean observation, improve ocean predictions and forecasting, promote sustainable fishing practices, and facilitate a data-driven blue economy.