Global Fishing Watch (GFW) is an international non-profit organisation committed to advancing the sustainability of our oceans through increased transparency. By harnessing cutting-edge technology, our mapping platform provides a powerful tool for ocean governance, empowering anyone to view or download data and investigate global fishing activity in near real-time, for free.
GFW was founded in 2015 through a collaboration between Oceana, SkyTruth and Google. Our work is made possible thanks to the generous support of our funding partners.
Our research, data and technology partners are central to achieving our mission to accelerate innovation and deliver actionable insights to increase transparency in commercial fishing and the sustainable management of our oceans.

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"Real-time data for sustainable ocean management through increased transparency in global fishing activities."

Request for Proposals (RFP): Research Fellowships and Small Grants Initiative Submission Deadline: November 5th, 2024 Please see additional submission requirements below Who we are Global Fishing Watch is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing ocean governance through increased transparency of human activity at sea. By creating and publicly sharing map visualizations, data and analysis tools, we aim to enable scientific research and transform the way our ocean is managed. We believe human activity at sea should be public knowledge to safeguard the global ocean for the common good of all.ContextGlobal Fishing Watch seeks to advance ocean governance by creating and publicly sharing data on human activity at sea. Supported by <a href="https://www.audaciousproject.org/">The Audacious Project</a>, we are pursuing this goal by building the <a href="https://globalfishingwatch.org/open-ocean-project/">open ocean project</a>, which will reveal human activity on the ocean as never before.Global Fishing Watch's network of research partners has been key to co-developing our algorithms and datasets, exploring novel uses for them, and proposing data-based interventions to inform management decisions. To strengthen this network and maximize the reach and impact of the datasets we will be creating under the open ocean project, The Audacious Project is also supporting the development of a new initiative: the fellowship and grants program.The program, which will enable a cohort of fellows to execute two-year work plans, will be an opportunity for individuals from around the world to join a community of developers and researchers with similar interests. For Global Fishing Watch, this initiative will widen our research network reach, creating connections with new partners and geographies.Fellowship objectivesSupport the development, improvement and application of datasets to research that can drive impact, supporting Global Fishing Watch's impact areas as stated in our <a href="https://globalfishingwatch.org/2030-strategy/">2023 strategy</a>: industrial and small-scale fishing, spatial marine planning, ocean climate solutions, marine pollution, biodiversity conservation, and science and governance. Grow and diversify Global Fishing Watch’s research network, building a global community of researchers who co-develop novel datasets and apply them to critical challenges in the ocean.  Strengthen relationships to support Global Fishing Watch's program’s interventions in countries where we already have engagements and new countries.  Promote Global Fishing Watch's work through new projects that can help implement solutions to protect the ocean and improve fisheries management.Objectives We seek an experienced grant maker to help us develop and execute this fellowship and grant program. They will help develop the most appropriate program structure and assets needed, help determine how to advertise and score applications, devise the relevant process to review and select applications and design the appropriate structure to interact with and support awardees for the duration of their work.  We see three phases to this work. The first phase will develop the structure of the program between November 2024 and April 2025, and will end with the call opening. The second phase will coordinate the selection of grantees and the implementation of the first cohort, between May and July 2025, and prepare for the cohort events that will take place in Phase 3. We expect the first cohort to start in July 2025 and last for two years. Phase three will start in July 2025, follow the first semester of the cohort and end in December 2025 with the handover of the program to Global Fishing Watch staff. Our initial plans, subject to review by the selected consultant and Global Fishing Watch staff, are that the fellowships and grants will be open to researchers around the globe, and will be open to any group or individual that can either help improve our core technologies or apply them to research that can improve ocean governance. We tentatively plan to have two categories–$10k for individuals and $20k for small labs and organizations, granted for two years. In addition to the financial support, a common fund will be available to support specific requests (conference participation, small stipends, publication fees), up to six months after the project completion. The selected fellows will be considered a cohort and will participate in training webinars and networking opportunities (including an annual event in a format to be determined). They will present their work progress after one year and in a final webinar by the end of year two. For Global Fishing Watch, this is a step forward in our mission to enable research aligned with our strategic objectives and ultimately improve the management of the oceans. It is an opportunity to connect with people with novel ideas about the implementation, use and application of our datasets and platforms and to expand our impact globally. By creating a financial mechanism and selecting structured work plans, we are intentionally seeking potential research partners in all of our impact areas and expanding the research network, which has grown organically until now. Scope and timeline (Detailed deliverables and expected start / end date)Phase 1: Project Planning - December 2024–April 2025<ul><li>Co-develop–with the Fellowship initiative manager and relevant Global Fishing Watch team members–the structure of grants and fellowship program and the assets needed to run the program</li><ul><li>Develop application procedure and create materials (application forms, criteria/guidelines for completion, terms and conditions, contracts) </li><li>Identify the criteria for proposal selection and evaluating grants and the feedback process for unsuccessful candidates</li><li>Coordinate the selection and training of the proposal evaluation panel </li><li>Develop, with the communications team, the outreach strategy to promote the fellowship to reach a wide audience and potential candidates, in adherence to our brand and editorial guidelines</li><li>Discuss and develop timelines for activities included in the fellowship, such as onboarding and training webinars and networking events with Global Fishing Watch staff</li><li>Create strategies to ensure fellows are on track with their work plans</li><li>Develop key performance indicators (KPIs) and milestones to measure the success of the program</li></ul><li>Provide an accurate financial budget and staff-time estimate needed to roll out the program as designed</li><li>Assist Global Fishing Watch in complying with all legal requirements, as a US-based organization willing to grant research grants and fellowships around the globe or as widely as possible (required)</li></ul>Phase 2: Selection Process - April 2025–July 2025<ul><li>Support the launch of the program for the first round of applications </li><li>Oversee and coordinate the review of the first group of applications with the selection committee engaged in Phase 1</li><li>Design evaluation criteria: how to evaluate whether the program reached its objectives and milestones. This could include analysis and tracking of the range of impacts covered by the applications, amongst other key KPIs. </li><li>Develop a feedback mechanism to understand how the program met the needs of the applicants and participants</li></ul>Phase 3: Cohort Implementation - July 2025-December 2025<ul><li>Support internal staff to coordinate the program activities (training sessions, networking events)</li><li>Follow up with the grantees the first semester of work plans project execution</li><li>Engage with the communications team to determine what can be done to promote the results of the work plans carried out by the Fellows</li><li>Hand over to Global Fishing Watch staff all procedures and documentation to ensure the successful completion of the work plans and the cohort </li></ul>The selected consultant will work closely with internal staff in charge of managing Global Fishing Watch's research network and our operations department, to provide their expertise in grant-making. Qualifications requirements - The consultant should have: - Experience in designing and implementing similar grantmaking programs for US-based organizations - Experience in cohort-based community management - Experience working remotely and across time zones and cultures - Great communication skills to coordinate with internal and external stakeholdersAlso great: - Capacity to interact in languages other than English (Spanish, French, Portuguese, etc.) - Experience interacting with scientists and developers from different backgrounds and institutions Submission requirements Interested parties should submit a proposal via email to <a href="mailto:research@globalfishingwatch.org">research@globalfishingwatch.org</a>. Please do not apply via this posting, as it is not monitored. Only emailed proposals will be considered.The proposal should consist of: 1. A cover letter explaining the candidate’s interest and qualification for the consultancy, including a description of previous experience with the type of work proposed in the RFP, as a Word or PDF attachment. Two or three references may be submitted as part of the proposal or provided after the shortlist selection. 2. A narrative proposal outlining: - How the candidate intends to fulfill the responsibilities outlined in the previous section - Any changes to the proposed timeline for completing the consultancy 3. A descriptive budget outlining the total cost of fulfilling the terms of the RFP, including fees, estimated level of effort, and any cost associated with the completion of the proposal. The budget can be submitted as a spreadsheet or added to the proposal. 4. Resumes/CVs of key project personnel.Submission deadline Proposals should be submitted by Nov 5, 2024Selection timeline The proposals will be reviewed by a selection committee and the top candidates will be interviewed. We expect the final selection to be published by December 5, 2024.

Request for Proposal (RFP) - Research Fellowships and Small Grants Initiative

Who we areGlobal Fishing Watch is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing ocean governance through increased transparency of human activity at sea. By creating and publicly sharing map visualizations, data and analysis tools, we aim to enable scientific research and transform the way our ocean is managed. We believe human activity at sea should be public knowledge in order to safeguard the global ocean for the common good of all.  Project backgroundIn 2023, the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) was adopted by the <a href="https://www.un.org/bbnj/">Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction</a> convened by the United Nations. It was hailed as a victory of multilateralism, and the hope is that it will help address the current multicrisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Against a background of fragmented ocean governance for different sectors, the BBNJ Agreement is seeking to address the numerous, varied, and cumulative human impacts on BBNJ, (such as fishing, mining, climate change, pollution, oil and gas development, wind farms etc.) in a more coherent way. Currently, the Agreement is in the process of being signed and ratified by States and will enter into force “120 days after the date of deposit of the sixtieth instrument of ratification, approval, acceptance or accession”, and the first Conference of the Parties (main decision-making body) will convene within one year after entry into force.While some aspects of the Agreement are already clear, such as the main issues and cross-cutting issues it is supposed to address, many aspects of procedures and content still remain to be developed and are likely to substantially shape the implementation. Countries are learning about the Agreement and establishing their positions and how to implement it. In the meantime, valuable time for the ocean is passing by or being lost. Especially the relationship between the BBNJ Agreement and other relevant instruments, frameworks and bodies (IFBs) is unclear and has a high potential for leveraging or hindering implementation. Calls are widespread for elements of the Agreement to start being implemented even before it enters into force.Hence this is a critical time in the development of this framework for the next decades. It is important to provide inputs now as process being set up and support transparency and equity aspects, effectiveness of marine protected areas(MPAs) and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs), support governments who want to collaborate with Global Fishing Watch, and make the most of observers’ ability to participate in the process. GFW is therefore seeking a consultant to support its strategy and position development on the role of technology and transparency in the BBNJ Agreement, and best ways to leverage options for engagement by observers.  Assignment DescriptionThis assignment aims to scope how the technology and transparency work being pursued by GFW now and in the future (via additional funding) can support the BBNJ Agreement.The assignment will identify key gaps in implementation of the Agreement that can be filled with GFW’s tools, and collate examples from Exclusive Economic Zones EEZs or transboundary situations where similar goals have been achieved. In particular, the focus will be on area-based management tools (ABMTs), incl. MPAs in support of the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework Target 3 (in all its elements, see <a href="https://www.cbd.int/gbf/targets/3">description</a>, beyond spatial extent/coverage), along with capacity building and transfer or marine technology (CBTMT) and cross-cutting issues around financing and implementation/compliance. It will also map out opportunities for GFW to advance this work with funders across various intersecting themes of fisheries and biodiversity, such as the concept of sustainable use, core objective of the CBD and subject of a recent global, cross-practice knowledge synthesis (<a href="https://www.ipbes.net/media_release/Sustainable_Use_Assessment_Published">IPBES, 2021</a>). Scope<ul><li>Supporting position development based on the use of open data and technology tools for the BBNJ Agreement, covering ABMTs (incl. MPAs) as primary but not exclusive focus, see below list of priority areas for GFW.</li><li>Internal capacity building via training on BBNJ issues and the BBNJ Agreement</li><li>Support to fundraising /proposal writing, including mapping of potential opportunities with funders and some background on freedom of the high seas vs. common heritage of humankind aspects relevant to the Agreement.</li></ul> Priority areas for GFW: <ul><li>ABMTs, incl. MPAs in areas beyond national jurisdiction, based on the goals and impacts of <a href="https://globalfishingwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/strategic_plan_2030_web.pdf">GFW’s strategic plan</a> </li><li>CBTMT, as GFW actively pursues a capacity development and technology transfer strategy</li><li>Cross-cutting issues (e.g. implementation &amp; compliance, dispute settlement)</li><li>EIA, incl. the role of the Agreement in curbing IUU fishing in the high seas (using GFW support)</li></ul> ActivitiesThis assignment will be conducted in collaboration with Global Fishing Watch and build on the consultant’s engagement with relevant international organizations, governments, NGOs, and other stakeholders. It will include the following outcomes: <ol><li>Advance strategic planning of BBNJ work for the organisation including: </li></ol><ul><li>Positions on the establishment and management of Area-Based Management Tools (ABMTs), including Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in areas beyond national jurisdiction, aligning with the goals of the BBNJ Agreement and GFW’s strategic plan.</li><li>The role of technology. A prominent topic in the Agreement, technologies such as those being developed by GFW have high potential for supporting implementation of the Agreement in many aspects. </li><li>The role of transparency. Guidance on how to interpret and implement BBNJ Agreement provisions that include transparency at various points (incl. an own article) explicitly and implicitly. </li><li>Best practices on the use of open data for ABMTs/MPAs management, highlighting case studies and lessons learned.</li><li>Modalities for ABMTs. Options for starting before entry into force, including those already identified by other actors. </li><li>Relationship to IFBs. Opportunities and risks we see in relation to RFMO interactions, BBNJ and fisheries regulations on IUU.  </li></ul> The strategy should focus on how GFW can position itself to achieve its own Expected Outcomes (to be shared confidentially after the contract is established) in relation to its high level goals outlined in the Strategic Plan.  <ol><li>Enhance organisational ability to secure funding for initiatives related to the BBNJ Agreement, particularly those involving open data, technology, and capacity building which includes a brief towards funders, highlighting value proposition and potential impact based on the above strategy as well as on a mapping of:</li><ol><li>current major funders for BBNJ work.</li><li>potential opportunities identified, based on funders’ scope and the above insights on the role that technology and transparency can play in the Agreement.</li></ol></ol> <ol><li>Strengthen internal understanding and capacity to engage with the BBNJ Agreement, focusing on key areas such as ABMTs/MPAs, Capacity Building and Technology Transfer (CBTMT), and cross-cutting issues, including training materials, programme and delivery for four 1h webcasts to GFW staff outlining the main findings of the Strategy. </li></ol> The Consultant will propose a plan of work that includes desk studies, (interviews if needed), and availability for a series of briefings (webcasts) that will be provided to Global Fishing Watch staff to communicate the deliverables.  Deliverables<ol><li>GFW BBNJ strategy (internal-facing) and positions capturing priority areas stated in the scope of work based on a mapping of the use of open data technology and transparency for the BBNJ Agreement, modalities for ABMTs, relationship to IFBs.</li><li> ’Findings and recommendations’ brief (external-facing) suitable for funder dialogue, highlighting the GFW value proposition and potential impact. Based on mapping of potential opportunities with funders.</li><li>Trainings for GFW staff on the BBNJ Agreement (main issues, cross-cutting issues, and how GFW tools can support the implementation of the agreement).</li></ol> Timeline and profile:A maximum of 20 days to be used over the course of 2-3 months between November/December 2024 and February 2025. The consultant is expected to complete the assignment within 10 weeks from the contract commencement date (between 15 November-15 December). It would be beneficial if draft deliverables were completed by 31 January 2025 for review, and final deliverables by the end of February 2025. Location of work: Remote working with a flexible timezone, alignment calls and progress reports take place in CEST.  The main competencies we are looking for include: <ul><li>a strong understanding of BBNJ issues and the BBNJ Agreement (ideally min 5y experience and attendance to 2 IGCs or previous BBNJ meetings), </li><li>strong project management skills, </li><li>a high level of organisation, </li><li>written and verbal communication skills in English and </li><li>comfort and experience in interacting with people (incl. interviews) from a variety of backgrounds and cultures in a respectful way.</li></ul> Interested parties are invited to submit a proposal (via email to <a href="mailto:kristina.raab@globalfishingwatch.org">kristina.raab@globalfishingwatch.org</a>) consisting of:<ul><li>a cover letter, explaining interest and qualification for the consultancy including a description of previous experience with the types of work proposed in the request for consultants’ proposals.</li><li>a resume/CV</li><li>a proposed plan of work (Word document) outlining how the consultant intends to fulfil the responsibilities outlined in the previous section.</li><li>an associated budget (Excel file) </li></ul> Ethics and Confidentiality: The consultant will be required to adhere to GFW's<a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1eL8b7qEps7EGgpXDlXjfRQzQ3pn28gmR"> relevant policies</a> and ensure that all data collection and analysis activities are conducted in a manner that protects the confidentiality and privacy of GFW partners data where necessary.

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