Transparency in Focus: Chile
Chile’s journey to effective vessel tracking and science-based fisheries management
Chile is home to one of the world’s most robust fisheries management systems, built on transparency and accountability. At the heart of this system is a public vessel monitoring program that tracks the movements of industrial and artisanal fishing fleets, providing valuable insights into human activity at sea.
At the same time, Chile’s program is complemented by human observers, electronic logbooks, onboard cameras and landing controls at ports. Together, these tools to help ensure that every fish caught is accounted for, every vessel monitored and every regulation enforced. Anchored in law, Chile’s principle of transparency protects marine ecosystems and strengthens trust in its seafood supply chain.
A transparency-based vessel tracking system strengthens ocean governance across the board. It enhances the ability of fisheries managers and monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) officers to track activity at sea with precision. Policymakers gain a clearer picture of what is happening in their waters, while companies throughout the seafood supply chain are able to carry out better due diligence.
For those on the front lines—fishers, inspectors and coastal communities—transparency provides an additional layer of accountability and protection. Ultimately, more accessible data leads to more responsible practices and healthier fisheries.
Since the early 2000s, Chile has been a pioneer in the use of vessel monitoring systems (VMS) to regulate fishing activity. By law, every industrial fishing vessel has carried a VMS device since 2000, transmitting its position to authorities in real time. This requirement was expanded in 2015 to include artisanal vessels above a certain size, depending on the fishery.
VMS data is reviewed and cross-checked with electronic logbooks, observers’ reports and landing certifications, ensuring that declared catches match what is landed. These systems, working together, provide authorities with a comprehensive picture of activity at sea, allowing compliance to be enforced and fish stocks to be safeguarded.
In 2020, Chile took another major step forward by making its VMS data public through Global Fishing Watch, allowing anyone to see where its fleets are operating. This bold move elevated Chile as a global leader in transparency, enabling it to showcase the benefits of open data in monitoring, controlling and enforcing activities at sea – supporting more sustainable fisheries management.
How transparent vessel tracking has transformed Chilean fishing
Get to know the country’s story through the voices of government officials, scientists and fishers. Together, they show how transparent vessel tracking has changed Chile’s fishing sector—strengthening compliance, building trust and ensuring sustainability.
“Transparency provides certainty to anyone, both nationally and internationally, on where their fish comes from and the status of the fisheries it belonged to; what the vessels’ actions have been; whether they have complied with regulations and whether they have adopted sustainable practices.”
Soledad Tapia, General Director, Sernapesca
“Human consumption requires traceability. And for that traceability, you need at least a satellite positioning system and certification.”
Victoria Rubio, Victoria Rubio, President of Conapesca Chile AG
“The Chilean State—through various governments—has taken the need for sustainable fisheries and long-term ecosystems very seriously. That’s why, in some years, catch quotas are set quite low, with a focus on resource conservation. The fishing industry has also understood that catching the maximum amount of fish isn’t such a good idea.”
Carlos Montenegro, Head of the Fisheries Research Division, IFOP
“The industrial fishing industry has understood that greater regulation allows for more transparent operations and 24/7 accountability. The truth is, if you’re doing things correctly and following good practices, there’s no problem keeping a record of everything.”
Macarena Cepeda, President of the Industrial Fishers of Biobío
Data transparency underpins Chiles’ success because it informs not only monitoring and enforcement at sea, but scientific advancements as well. Effective fisheries management relies heavily on science and open access to data is foundational to good science. The data allows scientists to review, analyze and share information that directly informs policy.
Institutions like the Fisheries Development Institute (IFOP) ensure that scientific findings are publicly available, creating a culture of peer-reviewed knowledge that strengthens decision-making. By embracing transparency and data-driven science, Chile has transformed fisheries management into a collaborative effort where regulators, scientists and fishers work together to safeguard marine resources for the long term.
Chile’s bold embrace of transparency and science has set a global benchmark for sustainable fisheries management. By making vessel tracking data public and ensuring decisions are grounded in science, the country has created one of the most accountable and forward-looking systems in the world.
As nations work to meet global targets for ocean protection, Chile’s experience offers a clear message: a commitment to transparency is possible, and it can become the foundation of effective and sustainable ocean governance.