Privacy Policy
Last updated: 19 August 2026
This explains what FishMate collects, why, and who else sees it. It is written to be read rather than skimmed past — if anything here is unclear, email support@fishmate.app and ask.
Who we are
FishMate ("we", "us") provides the FishMate angling app at fishmate.app. For anything relating to your data, including requests to see or delete it, contact support@fishmate.app.
We are the data controller for the information described below.
What we collect
Account details
When you create an account we store your email address, the name you choose to display, and your password. Passwords are stored only as a bcrypt hash — we cannot read your password, and neither can anyone who obtained a copy of our database.
Catches you log
Your personal catch log — including any photos you attach — is stored on your own device, in your browser's local storage. It is not uploaded to us. Clearing your browser data or uninstalling the app will delete it, and we cannot recover it for you.
When a catch appears in a shared feature such as Catches of the Week, the details of that catch — species, weight, method, bait, your notes, and the approximate coordinates of the mark you named — are stored on our servers so other anglers can see it.
Location
If you allow it, we use your device's location to show local conditions, weather and nearby fishing spots. You can refuse, and the rest of the app still works. We do not keep a history of where you have been.
Messages
Direct messages and group chats are stored on our servers so they can be delivered. They are not end-to-end encrypted, which means we are technically able to access them. We do not read them routinely, but you should not treat them as private in the way you would a properly encrypted messenger.
Basic usage analytics
We use Vercel Analytics to count page views. It does not use cookies and does not build a profile of you across other websites.
Photos and AI identification
When you use the fish identification feature, your photo is sent to Anthropic (the makers of Claude) so their AI can identify the species. This happens only when you actively choose to identify a photo. If you would rather no third party saw a photo, simply don't run it through identification — you can still log the catch.
Anthropic processes the image to return a result and, under their commercial terms, does not use it to train their models. We do not keep a server-side copy of photos you identify.
Who else your data reaches
FishMate relies on a small number of outside services. Each receives only what it needs:
| Service | What it receives | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Vercel | Hosting and request logs, including IP address | Runs the site |
| Upstash | Accounts, shared catches, messages | Database |
| Anthropic | Photos you choose to identify | Species identification |
| Open-Meteo | Your approximate coordinates | Weather |
| BigDataCloud | Your approximate coordinates | Turning coordinates into a place name |
| OpenStreetMap / Overpass | Place names and map areas | Fishing spot map |
| UK Hydrographic Office | The tide station you select | Tide times |
| Google Fonts | Your IP address | Page fonts |
We do not sell your data, and we do not share it for advertising.
Why we are allowed to use it
Under UK and EU data protection law, our lawful bases are:
- Performance of a contract — your account, catches and messages, because without them the app cannot work.
- Consent — your location and any photo you send for identification. You may withdraw consent at any time in your device settings, or by not using those features.
- Legitimate interests — basic analytics and keeping the service secure and working.
How long we keep it
Account details are kept for as long as your account exists. Shared catches and messages remain until you delete them or your account is deleted. Ask us to delete your account and we will remove your account details, shared catches and messages within 30 days.
Catches stored on your own device are yours to delete at any time, and we never had a copy.
Your rights
You have the right to:
- Ask what we hold about you, and get a copy
- Have mistakes corrected
- Have your data deleted
- Object to, or ask us to restrict, how we use it
- Withdraw consent for location or photo identification at any time
Email support@fishmate.app and we will respond within one month. If you are unhappy with the outcome you can complain to the UK Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.
Children
FishMate is not intended for children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect their data. If you believe a child has created an account, contact us and we will remove it.
Security
Traffic is encrypted in transit over HTTPS and passwords are hashed. No service can promise perfect security, and we will not pretend otherwise — but if a breach affected your data, we would tell you and the ICO as the law requires.
Changes
If this policy changes materially we will update the date at the top and, for significant changes, tell you in the app.