Privacy Policy

Last Updated: September 8, 2026 · Effective: September 8, 2026

1. Introduction

Galaxy Fishing ("we," "our," or "us") respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard information when you use our mobile application or websites.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

  • Account Information: Email address, name, phone number
  • Profile Information: Fishing preferences, experience level, equipment details
  • Content: Catch logs, photos, trip plans, comments, posts
  • Communications: Messages sent through the app or support form
  • Website Forms: Name, email address, organization, interests, and other information you submit to our waitlist or mentor forms

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

  • Location Data: GPS coordinates when you use location features
  • Device Information: Device type, operating system, unique device identifiers
  • Usage Data: Features used, time spent, interactions
  • Log Data: IP address, access times, errors

2.3 Information from Third Parties

  • Weather Data: From Open-Meteo and NOAA
  • Map Data: From Apple Maps
  • Social Data: If you connect social media accounts (future feature)

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

  • Provide Services: Recommend fishing spots, track catches, plan trips
  • Improve Experience: Personalize recommendations based on preferences
  • Communication: Send updates, notifications, customer support
  • Safety: Weather alerts, hazard notifications
  • Analytics: Understand usage patterns and improve the app
  • Legal: Comply with legal obligations, prevent fraud

4. How We Share Your Information

We DO NOT sell your personal information. We may share information with:

  • Service Providers: Cloud hosting, analytics, customer support
  • Legal Requirements: Law enforcement, court orders, legal processes
  • Business Transfers: In case of merger, acquisition, or sale
  • With Your Consent: When you explicitly agree to share

4.1 Community Features

  • Shared by Default: New catch logs are set to Shared unless you select Private when logging or editing the catch.
  • Shared Catch Details: Other anglers may see the species, measurements, catch time, fishing method, conditions, your first name, a named spot, and an approved photo you attach. Shared photos are reviewed before they appear to other anglers. Pending or withheld photos remain visible to their owner, and replacement photos require a new review. We do not show them your exact coordinates, private notes, email address, or account identifier.
  • Private Catches: A catch marked Private remains visible to you in your personal log and community view, but is not shown to other anglers.
  • Community Controls: Anglers can report a shared catch or block its author. A report immediately hides that catch from the reporter, a block hides that author's catches from the blocker, and authorized staff may hide reported content.

4.2 Optional AI Features

Chat and AI photo identification are currently unavailable. If these features become available, they require a separate in-app choice. If you enable and use them, the text, selected photos, catch details, location or environmental conditions needed for your request may be sent to Anthropic's Claude service through the Galaxy Fishing backend. You can withdraw this choice in the app; new AI requests stop until you enable it again. Anthropic processes information under its applicable service terms and privacy commitments.

5. Data Storage and Security

5.1 Security Measures

  • Password Encryption: Bcrypt hashing with 12 salt rounds
  • Token Security: JWT with automatic expiration
  • Data Encryption: In transit (HTTPS) and at rest
  • Access Controls: Role-based permissions
  • Regular Audits: Security assessments and updates

5.2 Data Retention

  • Account Data: Retained while account is active
  • Catch Logs and Locations: Retained until you delete the catch or your account
  • Deleted Catch Photos: Removed from active access immediately. Our storage provider's configured soft-delete recovery system may retain an inaccessible, recoverable copy for up to seven days before permanent deletion.
  • Required Records: We may retain limited records when required for legal, tax, fraud-prevention, or security purposes. Apple transaction records retained for entitlement and audit purposes are disconnected from the deleted Galaxy account.
  • Website Submissions: Retained while needed to respond to your request, administer the relevant program, prevent abuse, and meet legal obligations

6. Your Rights and Choices

6.1 Access and Control

  • Access: Request copy of your data
  • Update: Edit your profile and preferences anytime
  • Delete: Delete an individual catch or request account and associated-content deletion in the app
  • Export: Download your data in portable format
  • Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing emails

6.2 Location Services

  • Control: Enable/disable in device settings
  • When: Only used when app is active
  • Purpose: Find nearby spots, weather data, catch logging
  • Disable: App still works with limited features

6.3 Photos and Camera

  • Permission: Requested only when you choose a photo or camera feature
  • Storage: Photos stored securely on our servers
  • Privacy: A catch photo follows that catch's Shared or Private setting
  • Delete: Remove photos anytime

7. Children's Privacy

Galaxy Fishing is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect information from children. If we learn we have collected information from a child under 13, we will delete it immediately.

8. Third-Party Services

Our app uses third-party services:

  • Apple Services: App Store subscriptions and Apple Maps
  • Cloud Infrastructure and Email: Google Cloud, Neon, Google email services, and Resend for account emails
  • AI Processing: Anthropic Claude, only after you enable and use an AI feature
  • Environmental and Reference Data: NOAA, Open-Meteo, FishBase, GBIF, and iNaturalist

These services have their own privacy policies. We recommend reviewing them.

9. International Users

Our servers are located in the United States. If you access our service from outside the U.S., your information will be transferred to and processed in the U.S.

10. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

California residents have additional rights:

  • Right to Know: What data we collect and why
  • Right to Delete: Request deletion of your data
  • Right to Opt-Out: Opt out of sale (we don't sell data)
  • Non-Discrimination: Equal service regardless of privacy choices

11. European Privacy Rights (GDPR)

EU residents have additional rights:

  • Data Portability: Receive data in machine-readable format
  • Right to Erasure: "Right to be forgotten"
  • Restrict Processing: Limit how we use your data
  • Object: Object to certain processing activities

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy. We will notify you of changes by:

  • In-App Notification: Alert when policy changes
  • Email: If changes are significant
  • Effective Date: Posted at top of policy

13. Contact Us

For privacy questions or requests:

Email: privacy@galaxyfishing.com

In-App: Settings → Help & Support → Privacy

14. Data Protection Officer

For EU inquiries: dpo@galaxyfishing.com

15. Your Consent

By using Galaxy Fishing, you consent to this Privacy Policy.

Version 1.1 · Last Reviewed: September 7, 2026