Thread by @MarineBioMatt

Today, @GlobalFishWatch and @DonaBertarelli launch revolutionary new technology to transform management and research for #MPAs and other important marine areas. 🗺️

Here's a thread on why this matters. 🧵

bit.ly/3vrcXGN

First, why now?

Our ocean is vital for life on earth. Decisions are made every day about how and where we interact with the ocean - known as spatial management. Failure to get data from those who produce it, to decision-makers who can use it often leads to lost opportunities.

Often, you need to be an expert in GIS software packages to examine the data, or have a lot of money to pay for support. Even then, data is often presented statically in reports. Also, data often can't easily be compared between different sources and between different regions.

.@GlobalFishWatch is well placed to help address these issues through its vision for transparency and underlying principles.

Dynamic data could be provided for free to everyone with an internet connection in an easy-to-use portal to support spatial management.

Thanks to founder @DonaBertarelli, and the incredible partner sites we've worked with - including @AscensionMPA - we're doing just that.

Global Fishing Watch #MarineManager is an innovative technology portal, providing dynamic and interactive data on ocean conditions, biology and human-use activity in near real-time to support marine spatial planning, #MPA management and scientific research.

Anyone can visualize and analyze human activity at sea, such as fishing and shipping, in and around select marine protected areas and exclusive economic zones. Data can be filtered by gear type and flag State and dates can be selected to focus on specific vessels and times.

The previous GFW map showed representations of apparent fishing effort data but now, thanks to some incredible engineering, the visualisation - is - the data. All mapped to a discrete global grid. You're able to zoom in and see how activity changes through time dynamically.

You can "drill down" into datasets and view vessel movements. Reference layers support understanding of vessel activity around marine protected areas and exclusive economic zones.

Our partner sites and @KBoerder helped us to add publicly available oceanographic datasets, like sea surface temperature and salinity, allowing anyone to examine environmental patterns as they relate to human activity. Not easy given their different resolutions and timescales! 🤓

Managers and researchers working with the sites can upload their own environmental datasets - such as animal tracks - to inform management and protection of vulnerable species. Thanks for advice @SamLCox @PhilRhodTaylor @AnaMMSequeira @tommyturtleclay @TheSimsLab @JamesGrecian !

Time series graphs, map screenshots or data downloads provide more methods for precise sharing of information to support the best possible spatial management of our ocean.

& the good news is, we're just getting started! Working with you to find out how we can improve and scale the portal is essential - we'd love to hear feedback. We're also looking to add more useful datasets, working with @danielcdunn @Duke_MGEL @Nuestracr @UBCoceans & others 🙂

Visit the Global Fishing Watch marine manager portal to learn more - globalfishingwatch.org/marine-manager

Or head back to the top of the thread 🧵

https://twitter.com/MarineBioMatt/status/1397944644462329863?s=20

More of the background here

And here's the portal in action