Request for Proposal (RFP) - Technology and Data Integration to Strengthen Fisheries Monitoring and Marine Protected Area Management in Montenegro

About the role

Global Fishing Watch is an international, non-profit organization committed to advancing ocean governance through increased transparency. We create and publicly share knowledge about human activity at sea to enable fair and sustainable use of our ocean. Founded in 2015 through a collaboration between Oceana, SkyTruth, and Google, GFW became an independent non-profit organization in June 2017. Using cutting-edge technology, we create and publicly share map visualizations, data, and analysis tools to enable scientific research and drive a transformation in how we manage our ocean. By 2030, we aim to monitor and visualize the impact of ocean-going vessels, both industrial and small-scale, that are responsible for the vast majority of the global seafood catch. We believe human activity at sea should be common knowledge in order to safeguard the global ocean commons for the common good of all. Global Fishing Watch is working to enhance fisheries management by promoting transparency, building analytical capacity, and fostering regional collaboration. Through open data, satellite technology, and partnerships with governments and stakeholders, we aim to equip decision makers with the tools needed to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, support small-scale fishers, and improve marine conservation. Our program focuses on sharing insights, capacity development and the integration of advanced monitoring and evaluation techniques to drive evidence based policy and sustainable ocean governance. Within our global strategy, the biodiversity pillar and our regional work in the Mediterranean focus on supporting evidence-based decision making for marine conservation measures, including fisheries management measures, marine protected areas (MPAs), and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs). Context Montenegro is subject to obligations under European Union accession requirements, the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) alignment process, and regional fisheries management frameworks including the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM). As Montenegro's EU accession negotiations on Chapter 13 (Fisheries) provisionally closed in 2025, effective monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS) is central to these commitments in achieving sustainable fisheries as well as biodiversity protection. The EU accession process further drives environmental governance, including the preparation of its Natura 2000 network under the Birds and Habitats Directives. Under this, Montenegro is engaging in the Marine Protected Area (MPA) designation as well as strengthening management and monitoring of current protected areas. Regarding MCS, Montenegro has a VMS system with the aim of monitoring fishing activities and its sustainable management. All vessels longer than 10 m must have an installed and functional VMS device. Supervision of the VMS system in Montenegro is carried out by the MAFWM/DfF, the Maritime Safety Administration and authorized inspection services. It is a key system of the Fisheries Monitoring Centre (FMC) which operates 24/7, integrating data into the "Fisheries Information System of Montenegro" (FIS) web application. Ensuring that MCS and MPA enforcement mechanisms are underpinned by best-available data and practices is a priority to ensure compliance. To this end, Montenegro and Global Fishing Watch (GFW) have a cooperation, underpinned by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for data sharing and capacity development, to facilitate the operationalisation of national legislation and regional commitments into on-the-ground implementation. As part of the MoU, GFW is currently working directly with the relevant Montenegrin authorities to facilitate the integration of VMS data and interoperability between the FIS and the GFW platform. This consultancy is intended to complement and build on that process. Objectives The consultancy is to follow the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and ensure implementation. Building on GFW's existing analysis of Montenegro's MCS operations - including VMS and AIS data, vessel track analysis, and the current technical process for VMS data transfer according to the MoU, this objective focuses on deepening the integration and adoption of GFW tools into MCS and MPA practices. Objective 1 - Technology integration in Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS): Evaluate where in MCS operating procedures GFW tools can provide the most operational value, and identify how existing official procedures can be improved through integration of GFW technologies. Specifically identifying which Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) or equivalent processes are in place for MCS, identifying gaps and recommending specific points where GFW tools and expertise can be embedded as procedural steps for deployment and operational use. The assessment should include a practical workflow analysis, identifying where

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GLOBAL, application closes July 15 2026

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