Oceans

Preventing Unsustainable Fishing

Unsustainable fishing is decimating marine ecosystems and threatening food supplies. Nearly 90% of the world’s fish stocks are fully exploited or facing collapse.

Taking a Different Tack

To reverse fish stock decline, we’re using advanced technologies and data to provide global visibility into maritime activity. We’re also working to advance policy, advocacy, and awareness of Illegal, Unregulated, and Unreported (IUU) issues and impacts.

Data and Tech Policy

Data and Technology

Limited visibility into global fishing activity makes it difficult to enforce policies and regulations. By using the latest technologies, we’re providing critical data on vessel behavior to enable the protection of the world’s fish stocks.

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Skylight

Through advanced machine learning, best-in-class vessel data, and robust satellite-based analytics, Skylight provides near real-time data visualizations and alerts of maritime activity to aid in the identification of suspicious vessel behavior, including illegal fishing. It’s instrumental in the management of marine protected areas and the enforcement of fishing policies and regulations. Skylight, developed by Vulcan Inc. will become part of the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence in the fall of 2021. This move will combine world-class research, engineering, product resources and talent to create greater positive impact, as envisioned by the late Paul G. Allen.

Partners
National Geographic Society, Waitt Institute , Maxar Technologies, I.R. Consilium

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Driving Policy, Advocacy, and Awareness

Influencing policies and driving advocacy to shape IUU fishing regulations is critical to reducing unsustainable fishing. Through policy change and increased awareness, we seek to reform the seafood supply chain and stop the consumption of illegal seafood.

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"Ghost Fleet"

This documentary and virtual reality experience demonstrates the human and environmental impacts of unsustainable fishing and the need for changes in the seafood supply chain. Films such as this help us increase awareness, drive the industry to improve practices, and ensure a transparent, well-regulated seafood supply chain.

Partners
Seahorse Productions, FishWise, Conservation International, Oxfam America, Greenpeace, Humanity United, James Beard Foundation

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"Ocean Warriors" and "Chasing the Thunder"

Through compelling filmmaking, we bring to life the breadth of illegal marine activity, the lengths bad actors will go to, and the challenge of enforcing laws on the high seas. These films promote the need for more robust national enforcement of international fishing laws.

Partners
Brick City TV, Discovery, CITES, Interpol, Sea Shepherd, United Nations, Explorers Club, EarthX, Pew Charitable Trust, Greenpeace, Jackson Wild, Middlebury Institute of International Studies, WTO, US Naval Academy, Ocean Film Tour

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"Drop in the Ocean"

This interactive, social, virtual-reality experience immerses you deep in the water — and directly into the plastic pollution crisis plaguing the world’s oceans. The seven-minute-long experience is built from the photo archive of Academy Award-winning micro-photographer Peter Parks and narrated by explorers Philippe and Ashlan Cousteau. It “shrinks” participants to two inches tall and takes them for a ride on the back of a jellyfish floating through the ocean as it passes other marine creatures to show the ocean’s plastic crisis up close.

Partners
Conservation International, SC Johnson, Vision3

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IUU Policy

Through thought leadership and policy analysis, we’re informing policymaking on unsustainable fishing in the United States and around the world. Our engagement has helped shape legislation and increase resources. It’s also demonstrated how data and technology positively impact the conservation of ocean resources.

Partners
International Conservation Caucus Foundation, Consortium of Ocean Leadership

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Smart Catch

Smart Catch helps both chefs and consumers serve and consume seafood that’s been fished or farmed in environmentally responsible ways.* Smart Catch was recently transitioned over to the James Beard Foundation where the program continues to thrive; so far it’s expanded to 27 states and hundreds of restaurants.

Partners
James Beard Foundation, Flip Labs, FishChoice.com

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* Funded by the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation.

Preventing Unsustainable Fishing

Taking a Different Tack

Data and Technology

Skylight

Driving Policy, Advocacy, and Awareness

"Ghost Fleet"

"Ocean Warriors" and "Chasing the Thunder"

"Drop in the Ocean"

IUU Policy

Smart Catch

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