In honor of World Maritime Day on Sept 25, international news agency Al Jazeera has launched an interactive web game that allows users to "learn how to expose the multi-million dollar illegal fishing trade affecting West Africa’s poorest people."
Developed by Italy-based game developer Altera Studio, users are put into the shoes of an Al Jazeera journalist who must gather evidence and notes to document the "environmental crime of illegal fishing in Sierra Leone, a crime stealing a precious protein source for millions."
The game is based on the work of journalist Juliana Ruhfus (“Pirate Fishing”) for the Al Jazeera series People & Power, nominated for the Royal Television Society Awards.
"We’re basically gamifying current affairs," says People & Power Correspondent Juliana Ruhfus. "Investigative journalism can be seen as quite high-brow, whereas ‘gamification’ can open it up to a new generation of digital-savvy journalists. It’s important for us to push the boundaries and explore new ways to reach audiences."
You can learn more about the game at Al Jazeera or check out a promo video on YouTube.
