Photo: Nate Cheney // Unsplash
Researchers have recently found a way to shine a light on ocean activity that was once conducted in the shadows. A new study published in the journal Nature was spearheaded with Global Fishing Watch (GFW), alongside researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Duke University, University of California Santa Barbara, and SkyTruth. In it, they combined satellite imagery, vessel GPS data and artificial intelligence to map industrial vessel activity and offshore energy infrastructure across the world from 2017 to 2021.
“We find that 72–76 percent of the world’s industrial fishing vessels are not publicly tracked, with much of that fishing taking place around South Asia, Southeast Asia and Africa,” wrote the authors of the study. “We also find that 21–30 percent of transport and energy vessel activity is missing from public tracking systems.” Many ships have automatic identification systems (AIS), devices that broadcast the vessels’ identity, position, course and speed. However, not all vessels are required to broadcast their position at sea. The ships that don’t, sometimes referred to as “dark vessels,” can make it hard to prevent illegal activity, such as fishing in marine protected areas or trading with sanctioned countries.
The study found that this data radically changed our understanding of the scale, scope and location of fishing around the world. For instance, AIS data would indicate that Asia and Europe have roughly comparable amounts of fishing within their borders. However, data from the study showed that for every 10 fishing vessels on the water, seven were in Asia, while only one was in Europe.
The study was also able to analyze offshore structures. Of particular note was the rapid growth of offshore wind. “Offshore oil infrastructure grew modestly over the five-year period, while the number of wind turbines more than doubled globally, with development mostly confined to northern Europe and China,” wrote study co-author Jennifer Raynor. “We estimate that the number of wind turbines in the ocean likely surpassed the number of oil structures by the end of 2020.”
“A new industrial revolution has been emerging in our seas undetected – until now,” David Kroodsma, the director of research and innovation at GFW and co-lead author of the study, said to The Guardian. “On land, we have detailed maps of almost every road and building on the planet. In contrast, growth in our ocean has been largely hidden from public view. This study helps eliminate the blind spots and shed light on the breadth and intensity of human activity at sea.”
