Retrieve our data through API
A program on your end can automatically retrieve data from us. This is done by having a part of your software (a client) request our data through an API. At the bottom of the text, you will find technical details and links to documentation.
Stay updated and don’t hesitate to contact us
Many of the data we share are tailored to BarentsWatch’s services. If you have other needs or suggestions for changes, please contact us. Feel free to tell us who you are, what you want, and your purpose.
Changes to our APIs are continuously documented on developer.barentswatch.no. For major changes, we send out information via email. You can subscribe to the email list on My Page.
AIS API
This is a data stream of real-time vessel positions. The data is collected by the Norwegian Coastal Administration. BarentsWatch uses this API to display information about vessels in Wave Forecast, FishInfo, ArcticInfo, and Fishhealth.
Fishhealth API
This API contains data on fish farms, fish diseases, sea lice, escapes, vessel traffic at fish farms, and more. The data is collected from sources including the Directorate of Fisheries, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, the Veterinary Institute, and the Norwegian Coastal Administration. There is historical data dating back to 2012. BarentsWatch uses this API in the Fishhealth service.
- Technical documentation of Fishhealth API
- OpenAPI documentation of Fishhealth API
AquaInfo API
This API contains data on the status and development per municipality, number of fish farms, maximum allowed biomass, distribution of types of fish farming, area, funds from the aquaculture fund, employment, environmental surveys, and much more. For now, AquaInfo is included with the Fishhealth API. The data is collected from sources including the Directorate of Fisheries, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, the Veterinary Institute, and Statistics Norway. There is historical data dating back to 2012. BarentsWatch uses this API in the AquaInfo service.
- Technical documentation along with Fishhealth API
- OpenAPI documentation along with Fishhealth API
FishInfo API
The FiskInfo API contains information useful for professional fishermen, such as J-messages and other fishing regulations, navigation warnings, and seismic activity. Here you can get data in various chart plotter formats, and you can retrieve vessel information from the Ship Register using MMSI number lookup. The data sources are the Directorate of Fisheries, the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, and the Norwegian Coastal Administration. Information about gear is available in the FishInfo Reporting API. BarentsWatch uses the FishInfo API and FishInfo Reporting API in FishInfo and Fisheries Activity.
- Technical documentation of FishInfo API
- OpenAPI documentation of FishInfo API
FishInfo Reporting API
This API contains information about fixed gear and endpoints for reporting set, serviced, hauled, and lost gear to the Coast Guard. Reporting and vessel information are not open data, so please contact us if you are interested in using this. BarentsWatch uses the FishInfo API and FishInfo Reporting API in FishInfo, and the FishInfo Reporting API is also used by chart plotters.
- Technical documentation of FishInfo Reporting API
- OpenAPI documentation of FishInfo Reporting API
Polar Lows API
The API provides information on polar lows reported by the Norwegian Meteorological Institute. BarentsWatch uses this API in the Polar Lows service.
- OpenAPI documentation of Polar Lows API
Saltstraumen API
The API provides forecasts for current speed and direction in Saltstraumen, with data sourced from NORCE. BarentsWatch uses this API in the Saltstraumen and Wave Forecast services.
- OpenAPI documentation of Saltstraumen API
Waveforecast API
This API provides forecasts for wave height and wind for predefined fairways and points along the coast and for custom routes in a larger area. It also has special warnings for Moskstraumen and Langesund, and crossing waves for some exposed areas. NORCE and the Norwegian Meteorological Institute are the data sources. BarentsWatch uses this API in the Wave Forecast service.
- Technical information about Waveforecast API
- OpenAPI documentation of Waveforecast API
Map Services
Our WMS and WFS services are available via https://geo.barentswatch.no/geoserver/ Most are available and documented on geonorge.no.
| Service | Type | Description | Data Owner |
|
Wave forecast - Isolines |
WMS |
Forecast on wave heights as curves |
NORCE |
|
Wave forecast - Crossing waves |
WMS |
Forecast on crossing waves |
NORCE |
|
Wave forecast – Point |
WMS |
Wave forecast for pre-defined points |
NORCE |
|
Fishing activity (passive gear) |
WMS |
Positions for stationary gear per month |
The Norwegian Coast Guard |
|
Locality with disease |
WMS, WFS |
Fish farming localities that have the fish diseases ISA and PD |
Norwegian Veterinary Institute |
|
ISA control zones |
WMS, WFS |
Control area for the control of the fish disease ISA |
Norwegian Food Safety Authority |
|
ISA surveillance zones |
WMS, WFS |
Control area for monitoring the fish disease ISA |
Norwegian Food Safety Authority |
|
Ice edge (manual analysis) |
WMS |
Line showing actual ice edge |
Norwegian Meteorological Institute |
Data for download
In the Data service, many data sets can be downloaded in CSV, JSON and some chart plotter formats. Some of them can also be downloaded from FishInfo, Fish Health and Fisheries Activity.
License
BarentsWatch's open data is available under the license agreement NLOD - "Norwegian license for public data". See terms of use.
Info for Developers
BarentsWatch's APIs are REST or REST-ish API. They use JSON via HTTPS. Generally, we use GET to retrieve, POST to add, PUT to update and DELETE to remove objects.
Authentication is required, and the API supports OpenID Connect. Many who want to test retrieving our data find authentication challenging. Therefore, we ask you to read more about how to do it here: Application registration and authentication.
Technical documentation
You can find more API documentation at developer.barentswatch.no and there you will find links to the OpenAPI documentation for all the APIs.