A database of mapped global fishing activity 1950-2017

Area of Science:

• Marine Biology
• Fisheries Science
• Oceanography

Background:

• Historical fishing data is fragmented, limiting long-term analysis of fishing capacity and effort.
• Existing datasets, like Automatic Identification System (AIS), primarily cover large vessels and lack historical depth.
• Understanding smaller and artisanal fishing segments is crucial for a complete picture of global fishing impacts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create a comprehensive, harmonized database of historical country-level fishing fleet capacity and effort.
• To provide a spatially and temporally explicit dataset for long-term fishing activity research.
• To enable comparison with satellite-derived datasets while including underrepresented fishing segments.

Main Methods:

• Compiled data from diverse public sources, harmonizing and converting information into fishing effort metrics.
• Mapped fishing effort to 30-min spatial cells for detailed analysis.
• Categorized data by vessel characteristics (length, power, tonnage), gear type, and target species.

Main Results:

• Developed a database spanning 1950-2017, detailing fishing fleet capacity and effort globally.
• The database includes vessel numbers, engine power, gross tonnage, and nominal effort.
• Data is comparable to AIS datasets but includes smaller and artisanal fleets, offering broader temporal and spatial coverage.

Conclusions:

• The new database offers an unprecedented resource for studying long-term changes in global fishing activity.
• It facilitates research into the ecological and socioeconomic implications of historical fishing trends.
• This dataset is vital for informing sustainable fisheries management and ocean conservation efforts.