Global Fishing Watch adds science and board leaders

Global Fishing Watch on July 14, 2026 named six members to its science advisory board and announced three new directors, a leadership refresh aimed at strengthening scientific rigor, governance and global reach. The changes come as the ocean transparency nonprofit expands its role in helping governments and other stakeholders use data to improve ocean accountability.

Why it matters: - Global Fishing Watch is using new science and governance appointments to reinforce the credibility of its ocean-monitoring work. - The changes are meant to support better decisions for governments, industry, civil society and ocean communities that depend on transparent data. - The leadership update also signals the organization’s next phase as ocean governance shifts further toward data, technology and accountability.

What happened: - Global Fishing Watch announced the members of its science advisory board on July 14, 2026. - The nonprofit also confirmed changes to its board of directors. - The science advisory board has six members and advises the board of directors, executive team and chief scientist on research, technology and the application of science in ocean management. - The board of directors added Eric Bilsky, Angelique Pouponneau and Christoper Sharkey. - Jenny Allen stepped down from the board after nearly 10 years of service.

The details: - Jennifer Raynor, a Global Fishing Watch board member and natural resource economist at the University of Wisconsin—Madison, chairs the science advisory board. - Raynor’s research combines economics, ecology and data science to inform evidence-based ocean policy. - The other science advisory board members are Christina Hicks of Lancaster University, Konstantin Klemmer of University College London, Elizabeth Selig of the Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions, Rashid Sumaila of the University of British Columbia and Boris Worm of Dalhousie University. - The advisory board is charged with safeguarding the organization’s scientific integrity and technical credibility. - David Kroodsma, Global Fishing Watch chief scientist, said the new group strengthens the organization’s ability to turn data into knowledge, knowledge into action and action into lasting impact. - Jennifer Raynor said the board will help keep the nonprofit’s science rigorous, its technology innovative and its work trusted. - Angelique Pouponneau serves as lead ocean negotiator for the Alliance of Small Island States and works on marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction, plastic pollution and the ocean-climate nexus. - Eric Bilsky recently retired as general counsel of Oceana after more than 25 years focused on protecting the marine environment. - Bilsky’s work at Oceana helped establish legal protection for hundreds of thousands of square miles of marine habitat in U.S. Pacific and Atlantic waters. - Christopher Sharkey retired as chief financial officer at Oceana in March. - Sharkey brings more than two decades of experience with international and domestic nonprofit organizations and expertise in finance, administration and program operations. - Melissa Wright, a senior member of the environment team at Bloomberg Philanthropies and leader of the Bloomberg Ocean Initiative, is the new board chair. - Brian Sullivan, a Global Fishing Watch co-founder, is stepping down as chair but remains on the board. - Jacqueline Savitz, a long-standing board member, Global Fishing Watch co-founder and former chief policy officer at Oceana, is now vice chair. - Tony Long, Global Fishing Watch chief executive officer, thanked Jenny Allen for her operational insight and long service.

Between the lines: - The appointments deepen the nonprofit’s mix of scientific, legal, policy and financial expertise. - The board reshuffle also ties Global Fishing Watch more closely to senior figures with experience in ocean advocacy, philanthropy and nonprofit management. - The emphasis on scientific integrity suggests the organization wants to position its data and tools as trusted infrastructure for ocean governance, not just a transparency platform.

What's next: - The new advisory board will begin guiding Global Fishing Watch’s research and technology strategy. - The board of directors, now led by Wright and Savitz in new roles, will oversee the organization through its next growth phase. - Global Fishing Watch is expected to keep pushing its transparency and accountability mission as governments and other stakeholders adopt more data-driven ocean management.

The bottom line: - Global Fishing Watch is betting that stronger science leadership and a refreshed board will help it stay central to the global push for transparent, accountable ocean governance.