ICES has launched a new module in fisheriesXplorer that brings Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) and Logbook data directly into the app, further expanding access to spatial fisheries information across all ICES ecoregions. Covering the period 2021–2024, the module allows users to explore where and how fishing activity takes place.
VMS data provide a detailed picture of fishing effort by recording vessel positions, which are linked to logbook information on catches and gear. In fisheriesXplorer, this information is now presented through maps that show the intensity and distribution of fishing activity by gear, as well as benthic surface and subsurface impacts from fishing. Users can enlarge maps, explore patterns across ecoregions, and download both figures and the underlying datasets directly from the app.
The new module builds on our move away from static PDF overviews toward more interactive, transparent, and reusable data products. By drawing directly on ICES databases via APIs, fisheriesXplorer ensures that users are always working with the latest quality-checked information, while making spatial fisheries data easier to explore and integrate into assessments, research, and management discussions.
This release marks another step in the ongoing development of fisheriesXplorer. Additional enhancements and new modules are planned, and user input will play a key role in shaping what comes next. What features, analyses, or data would you like to see added to fisheriesXplorer next?
Explore the new VMS module and share your feedback via the Resources tab in the app.
