New research published in the journal Nature shows that a large portion of industrial activity at sea remains hidden from public view. The consequences for the marine environment are far more serious than previously understood. For instance, 75% of industrial fishing, especially in Asia, occurs without any documentary or visual evidence. About 25% of other activities, notably energy, go undeclared.
Artificial intelligence combined with satellite imagery powered the study led by Global Fishing Watch. It produced the first global map of substantial ship traffic and coastal infrastructure. This approach brought to light a substantial amount of seaborne activity that had previously escaped public monitoring.
“A new Industrial Revolution is emerging unseen in our oceans,” said David Kroodsma, director of research and innovation at Global Fishing Watch and a co-author of the study.
“A new Industrial Revolution, unseen until now, is taking shape in our seas.”
On land, there are detailed maps for nearly every road and building. In contrast, the growth of our oceans has largely remained out of sight. The study helps close blind spots and reveals how widespread and intense human activity at sea has become.
Researchers from Global Fishing Watch, the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Duke University, UC Santa Barbara, and SkyTruth (USA) analyzed 2 million gigabytes of satellite imagery from 2017 to 2021. They detected ships and nearshore infrastructure in coastal waters across six continents where most industrial activity clusters.
Ships failing to transmit positions could still be detected, proving their existence through alternative data signals.
By combining GPS data with five years of optical and radar imagery, researchers identified vessels that did not share position data and thus left no public traces. Advanced computer systems then determined which of these ships were engaged in fishing activities.
“Historically, ship activities have not been adequately documented. This limits understanding of how the world’s largest public resource, the ocean, is used,” noted Fernando Paolo, a senior machine learning engineer at Global Fishing Watch and co-author.
“By merging space technology with cutting‑edge machine learning, we map unidentified industrial activity at sea on a scale never seen before.”
Three out of every four industrial fishing vessels are hidden
Even though not all ships are required to transmit their positions, vessels without publicly accessible tracking systems often operate as “dark fleets,” creating obstacles for safeguarding resources. The study finds that 75 percent of the world’s industrial fishing vessels remain hidden from public observation.
Additionally, large numbers of fishing vessels were found inside marine protected areas and in waters of many nations where vessel activity had previously appeared low under public monitoring.
“Public data incorrectly suggested similar fishing activity in Asia and Europe. Within borders, Asia dominates: seven out of ten fishing boats discovered on waters were in Asia, with only one in Europe,” explained Jennifer Raynor of the University of Wisconsin. “By exposing hidden vessels, we now have the most complete public picture of global industrial fishing to date.”
The study also documents shifts in oceanic human activity. During the COVID-19 period, global fishing activity dropped by nearly 12 percent, with a 8 percent decline in China and 14 percent elsewhere. In contrast, transport and energy ships remained steady.
More oil use and wind turbines
During the study window, marine energy development grew. Oil structures rose by 16 percent while offshore wind turbines more than doubled. By 2021, turbine numbers surpassed oil platforms. China reported the most dramatic growth in offshore wind energy, rising ninefold between 2017 and 2021.
“The footprint of the Anthropocene is no longer limited to land,” stated Patrick Halpin, a marine geospatial ecology professor at Duke University. “To gain a fuller understanding of how oceans are industrialized, new growth in offshore wind, aquaculture, and mining is rapidly adding to fishing, shipping, and oil and gas.” He added that the ocean now functions as a dense, crowded industrial workspace for the expanding blue economy.
The study highlights the potential of these new technologies to address climate change. Mapping all ship traffic could refine estimates of marine greenhouse gas emissions. Infrastructure maps can guide wind development and help monitor marine degradation caused by oil exploration.
Reference work: Nature journal article on s41586-023-06825-8.
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