Connect data with purpose
Deriving value from data means putting it to work. There are two ways we think about connecting data with purpose.
Start with a plan. We believe in the importance of developing data strategies that clearly identify questions, and plan to deliver the data needed to answer them, particularly in the face of increased climate change stresses. Data planning is important at all scales from specific projects, such as ecosystem-based fisheries management plans, to including data visioning and governance in agency-level strategic planning.
Practice F.A.I.R. principles. We need to ensure data are findable, available, interoperable, and reusable beyond their original purpose; it should be easy and efficient to integrate and share diverse data sources within and beyond NMFS. The growing wave of fisheries technologies, including gear sensors and on-vessel monitoring, could provide fast, high-quality information that serves multiple purposes while reducing reporting burdens on industry if the data systems are well-designed.
The Net Gains Alliance connects data with purpose by:
Encouraging and helping our partners undertake their data strategy and planning discussions
Supporting collaborations to innovate and navigate the technical, policy, and legal pathways for putting data to work for science, management, and fishing businesses and communities
Current Initiative
Current and Potential Use of VMS Data
In August 2023, Net Gains Alliance generated a report on the uses of VMS data products which can provide valuable insights for fisheries management, conservation, business analytics, and science. Spatial information about economically and ecologically important fishing areas is critical to maintaining sustainable fisheries in a changing world, particularly since fishing is one of many activities competing for ocean space. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) collects, provides, and uses spatial tracking data collected from commercial fishing vessels through Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS). However, VMS data are difficult to access and are underutilized as a result. The Net Gains Alliance recently released a set of recommendations and actionable steps the National Marine Fisheries Service could take to improve the findability and accessibility of VMS data products. To read the report on the Current and Potential Use of VMS Data, click here.
