New research has revealed a shocking truth about global fishing vessels, with a staggering 72 to 76 percent of these industrial ships remaining untracked. The study, conducted by Global Fishing Watch and published in the journal Nature, utilized satellite imagery, vessel GPS data, and AI to expose a significant quantity of previously untracked human activity at sea. The resulting maps illustrate the extensive presence of dark vessels that go unnoticed, highlighting how these activities have evolved over the years. This remarkable discovery showcases the power of deep learning algorithms in detecting elusive patterns within vast amounts of data.
Until now, organizations such as Global Fishing Watch relied on the Automatic Identification System (AIS) to monitor these activities. However, AIS has limitations, with not all countries mandating its usage, and vessels can easily disable the system to avoid detection. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the global situation, researchers turned to AI and analyzed 2,000 terabytes of satellite data from the European Space Agency‘s Sentinel-1 satellite constellation.
The analysis of this satellite data uncovered high densities of vessel activity in regions where public tracking systems previously showed little to no activity. These areas predominantly span South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the northern and western coasts of Africa. Additionally, the study found a significant expansion in offshore energy development, with the number of new wind turbines surpassing oil structures by the end of 2020. Wind turbines accounted for nearly half of all ocean infrastructure in 2021, while oil structures made up 38 percent.
Despite the growth of wind turbines, oil structures led to a fivefold increase in vessel traffic compared to their renewable energy counterparts. This groundbreaking public data arrives at a crucial time when maritime activity is rapidly expanding and can provide policymakers with crucial insights to drive meaningful change, especially in the face of a growing climate crisis.
As the world’s dependence on fossil fuels persists and global fish stocks continue to deplete, it becomes increasingly important to gain a clearer understanding of activities that have remained hidden until now. By shedding light on the extent of untracked vessel activity, this research encourages a more comprehensive approach to global maritime planning and conservation efforts. Observing these developments while adhering to guidelines and considering different perspectives allows for a balanced view that can foster positive change.
