Real-Time Ocean Temperature and Depth Data from Australian Fishing Vessels

Filled with real-time subsurface ocean temperature and depth measurements collected from a network of 32 commercial fishing vessels operating across Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone. Data is used by skippers to relate catches to temperature-at-depth and by oceanographers for model validation and condition forecasting.

Use Cases

• Analyze real-time temperature-at-depth data to correlate with fishing catch locations and times.
• Validate coastal ocean models using quality-controlled subsurface temperature measurements from diverse fishing gear types.
• Improve spatial and temporal resolution of oceanic condition forecasts with data from productive shelf and slope waters.
• Study temperature profiles across different marine regions like the Tasman Sea, Coral Sea, and Great Australian Bight.

Strengths

• Data is collected in near-real-time from 32 instrumented commercial fishing vessels.
• Covers a broad spatial range across Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone, including inshore, shelf, and offshore waters.
• Utilizes a diverse range of fishing vessel types and gear, including trawlers, longliners, and pots.

Limitations

• Specific data volume (rows, file size) and column structure are unknown.
• Data availability is limited to file formats like PDF and HTML, which may hinder direct machine processing.
• Geographic coverage is dependent on the operational routes of the participating commercial fishing fleet.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network, part of the Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS).

Collection Method

Sensors installed on commercial fishing vessels collect temperature and depth data during daily operations.

Time Range

Data collection began with a pilot project in 2022; ongoing real-time collection.

Freshness

Data is collected and returned in near-real-time; metadata was last updated in March 2026.

Geography

Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone, including the Tasman Sea, Coral Sea, Timor Sea, Southern Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Indian Ocean.