Research recently published in the journal Nature reveals this much of industrial exploitation oceans remains hidden from public knowledgeTherefore, the threats looming over the marine environment are much more serious than previously believed. For example, 75% of all industrial fishing, especially in Asia, is carried out without any documentary or graphic evidence. 25% of other activities (especially energy) are undeclared.
Artificial intelligence and satellite images were used in the research led by the Global Fishing Watch organization. first global map showing large ship traffic and infrastructure near the coast. In this way, a significant amount of activity that was previously “hidden” to public monitoring systems was detected.
“A new Industrial Revolution is emerging unnoticed in our seasDavid Kroodsma, director of research and innovation at Global Fishing Watch and a co-author of the study, said in a statement:
“A new Industrial Revolution, hitherto unnoticed, is emerging in our seas.”
“On land, we have detailed maps of almost every road and building on the planet. In contrast, Our ocean’s growth has been largely hidden from public view. “This study helps eliminate blind spots and sheds light on the breadth and intensity of human activity at sea,” he said.
Researchers from Global Fishing Watch, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Duke University, UC Santa Barbara and SkyTruth (USA) analyzed 2 million gigabytes of satellite images from the period 2017-2021. Detect ships and nearshore infrastructure in coastal waters on six continentsWhere more than three-quarters of industrial activity is concentrated.
Ships that did not transmit their positions could be detected and therefore there was no evidence of their existence.
For example, by combining GPS data with five years of optical and radar images, researchers they were able to detect ships that did not transmit their positions and therefore there was no evidence of their existence. Using advanced computer systems, they identified which of these vessels was engaged in fishing activities.
“Historically, ship activities have not been adequately documented. This limits our understanding of how the world’s largest public resource, the ocean, is used,” said co-author Fernando Paolo, senior machine learning engineer at Global Fishing Watch.
“By combining space technology with cutting-edge machine learning, we are mapping unidentified industrial activity at sea on a never-before-seen scale,” he explained.
Three out of every four industrial fishing vessels in the world are hidden
Although not all ships are legally required to transmit their positions, ships without publicly available tracking systems are often ‘Dark fleets’ pose an obstacle to the protection and management of natural resources. The research reveals that 75 percent of the world’s industrial fishing vessels are hidden from the public.
In addition, researchers found large numbers of fishing vessels hidden in marine protected areas, as well as high concentrations of vessels in the waters of many countries that had previously shown little or no vessel activity, according to public monitoring systems.
“Publicly available data incorrectly suggests that similar amounts of fishing occur in Asia and Europe “Within its borders, however, our mapping reveals that Asia dominates: seven out of every 10 fishing boats we found on the water were in Asia, with only one in Europe,” says co-author Jennifer Raynor of the University of Wisconsin. “By exposing ‘dark’ vessels, we have created the most complete public picture of global industrial fishing available.”
The study also shows how human activity in the ocean is changing. Coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic, fishing activity fell by nearly 12 percent worldwide; There was an 8 percent decline in China and 14 percent elsewhere. On the contrary, the activities of transport and energy ships remained stable.
More oil use and wind turbines
Instead, marine energy development increased during the study period. Oil structures increased by 16 percent while wind turbines doubled. By 2021, the number of turbines will exceed oil platforms. China’s offshore wind energy recorded the most dramatic growth, increasing ninefold between 2017 and 2021.
“The footprint of the Anthropocene is no longer limited to land,” said co-author Patrick Halpin, a professor of marine geospatial ecology at Duke University. “To have a more comprehensive view of the industrialization of the oceans, New growth in offshore wind, aquaculture and mining This is rapidly being added to established industrial activities such as fishing, shipping and oil and gas. “Our study reveals that the global ocean is a dense, crowded and complex industrial workplace for the growing blue economy.”
The study highlights the potential of this new technology to address climate change. Mapping all ship traffic will improve estimates of marine greenhouse gas emissions, Infrastructure maps can inform wind development or help monitor marine degradation caused by oil exploration.
Reference work: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06825-8
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Source: Informacion
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