56 Proceedings Spring 2025 and answer questions.1 A web map is the feature that provides the foundation and contains the data layers needed to investigate specific problems. Web maps can be accessed and investigated using a standard web browser and do not require any additional software on a user’s computer. A dashboard is a presentation of geographic informa- tion and data that allows users to monitor events, make decisions, inform others, and see trends. Dashboards are designed to display multiple visualizations that work together on a single screen. They offer a comprehensive view of data and provide insights for at-a-glance deci- sion-making.2 Dashboards are based on a web map and allow users to interact with the map data. Users select spe- cific information layers, filter data within the map, and view graphs linked to the displayed data. Together, these features create a user-friendly and intuitive navigation interface. IUU Fishing Activity Dashboard The RDC began its exploration of BI tools through the development of the IUU Fishing Activity Dashboard, using publicly available data and hosting curated infor- mation on the Coast Guard’s instance of ArcGIS Online. ArcGIS platforms can ingest data from many sources using industry standard data formats. For example, Global Fishing Watch (GFW), a nonprofit organization that uses satellite technology to promote transparency in global fishing activities, provides IUU fishing data through an application programming interface por- tal, which allows other software applications, such as ArcGIS to ingest GFW data. For this use case, the RDC research team focused on ingesting vessel information and what are known as “encounter events” from the GFW portal. There were four types of events in this dataset: apparent fishing, encounters, loitering, and port visits, each of which is briefly defined below. Apparent fishing events: GFW analyzes AIS data col- lected from vessels identified as known or possible com- mercial fishing vessels and applies a fishing detection algorithm to determine apparent fishing activity based on changes in vessel speed and direction. The algo- rithm classifies each AIS broadcast data point for these vessels as either apparently fishing or not fishing and shows the apparent fishing effort on the Global Fishing Watch map.3 Encounter events: Encounters may indicate potential transshipment or transfer activities between two vessels. Encounters can occur in GFW’s vessel viewer between a carrier and fishing vessel or a fishing-support vessel and a fishing vessel. AIS data is used to calculate encounters based on the distance between the two vessels, the ves- sel speeds, and the duration in a given area. When two vessels are detected within 500 meters of each other for at least two hours and traveling at a median speed of less than 2 knots at least 10 kilometers from a coastal anchor- age, an encounter event is logged.4 Loitering events: Loitering is when a single vessel exhib- its behavior indicative of a potential encounter event. It is possible that loitering events do not indicate a potential transshipment. For example, a vessel may remain rela- tively stationary during events such as maintenance or while waiting outside the port for docking permission. AIS data is used to calculate loitering events based on a vessel’s speed and its distance from shore. Loitering occurs when a carrier vessel travels at an average speed of less than 2 knots, while at least an average of 20 nauti- cal miles from shore. Loitering events are not displayed for fishing vessels due to the challenge in distinguishing loitering from other low-speed operations related to fish- ing activity.5 Port visits: Movements in and out of a port are auto- matically detected by GFW and categorized according to four distinct types of events: port entry, port stop, port gap—a gap in AIS transmission while in port—and port exit. When at least two of these events occur, then a port visit is detected.6 Fish Habitat Explorer Dashboard The second prototype dashboard was designed on the principle that if you can identify the preferred habitat of fish, fishing vessels are likely to be found in those areas as well. Extensive academic research has identified key parameters that define the ideal habitat for different fish species. These five essential parameters are water temperature, distance to land, chlorophyll production, and salinity. All of this data is publicly accessible in elec- tronic format on the internet. Previously, Coast Guard subject matter experts had developed workflows in ArcGIS Pro for about a dozen species in the three regions most relevant to the Coast Guard Atlantic area of operations. This work was transitioned to the ArcGIS Online platform with a relatively small amount of effort. The work was then expanded to a significantly larger scope by increasing the accuracy of the analysis, including additional analy- sis parameters, increasing the number of fish species to over 300, and increasing the geographic scope from three regions to the entire world. The dashboard development work has provided the Coast Guard with several ways to integrate this impor- tant technology into its operations. The final transfer
