Ocean observations are a key foundation for our understanding of the ocean. While there have been great leaps forward in monitoring of our oceans there are still critical data gaps. The uncertainty resulting from these data gaps hinders ocean predictions and forecasts leading to suboptimal management and policy decisions. The spatio-temporal extent of these data gaps overlaps significantly with fishing activities. Fishing vessels can serve as platforms that can host and deploy an assortment of oceanographic instrumentations; and, the fact that many fishing gear types already profile through the water column presents a unique subsurface data collection opportunity that are dearly needed for improving ocean predictions. This opportunity can complement existing ocean observing networks by enabling the cost-effective collection of subsurface ocean data to dramatically  increase coverage in data-sparse regions. There is an emerging global network of programs and projects engaging in collaborative efforts to collect ocean data integrated with fishing operations accelerated by innovations in enabling technologies. While there are clear opportunities that arise from partnering with fishing vessels, there are also challenges ranging from geographic and cultural differences in fleets, fishing methods and practices, data processing and management for heterogeneous data, as well as long term engagement of the fishers. To advance fishing vessel-based ocean observations on a global scale, the Fishing Vessel Ocean Observing Network (FVON) has been formed to maximize data value, establish best practices, and facilitate observation uptake. FVON's ultimate goal is to foster collaborative fishing vessel-based observations, democratize ocean observations, improve ocean predictions, promote sustainable fishing, and power the data-driven new blue economy.

Primary Presenter: Cooper Van Vranken, Ocean Data Network (cooper@oceandata.net)

Authors:

Hassan Moustahfid, NOAA Federal / IOOS  (hassan.moustahfid@noaa.gov)

Carles Castro Muniain, Ocean Data Network  (carles@oceandata.net)