Protected marine areas: artificial intelligence certifies its efficacy against fishing

The establishment of protected marine areas that prohibit industrial fishing is truly effective in safeguarding marine biodiversity: to remove any doubt about the usefulness of marine areas protected by human activities is a study that has used Artificial intelligence applied to satellite photos To solve some problems in monitoring boats in these seaside stretches. The research, published on Scienceconfirmed that In the marine areas that enjoy the most stringent protection measures, industrial fishing activities are almost non -existent.

Currently it falls into a protected marine area (AMP) 9.6% of the oceans: the challenge launched by the international scientific community is to protect 30% of the seas by 2030. The protected marine areas provide different levels of restrictions of human activities. Many allow fishing, but the study on Science he focused on those or completely protected (non-precisewhich prohibit any type of fishing), or on those in which industrial fishing is banned and only the small scale is allowed.

These marine areas protected with the most stringent constraints are considered the most effective, for the purposes of the conservation and restoration of the fish fauna. For these reasons, paradoxically, They also exercise greater attraction for those who practice illegal fishing activitiesand not everywhere there are the technological and economic means to check that the decisive restrictions are also respected.

After analyzing 1,380 protected marine areas They ban industrial fishing, Jennifer Raynor and colleagues experts in the management of natural resources of the National Geographic Pristine Seas and the University of California of Santa Barbara have concluded that these sea areas in fact host industrial fishing activities significantly lower than the surrounding waters, with on average Nine less times fewer boats for square km compared to the unprotected coastal areas. Based on analysis, 25% of protected marine areas were not crossed by any fishing boat from 2017 to 2021.

The researchers used in the first place The data of the automatic identification systema tracking system adopted by commercial fishing boats starting from 15 meters in length. This first analysis showed very few incursions in the marine areas protected in the 5 years of time considered. However, not all fishing boats have this system, and in some areas the reception of the signal is not very reliable, or those who have practiced illegal fishing Disable the transponders (the devices they receive and retransmit the signals) In order not to be found.

The researchers used IA systems to analyze the images of satellites that send radar impulses to the ocean surface and measure the reflex signals. These methods allow you to reliably detect the longer fishing boats than 15 meters, even if they have the transponders off. The new analysis also confirmed the effectiveness of protected marine areas, detecting on average A single boat for commercial fishing every 20,000 square km In the 455 areas with the highest frequency of satellite images. By expanding the sample to the areas with at least one satellite image, the percentage of protected areas without fishing detection rose to 42%.

The new method could be used to monitor illegal activities within protected marine areas in a more stringent way e help in extension efforts of these sanctuaries of biodiversity. That, with their presence, they also promote repopulation in neighboring watersfor the benefit of those who practice fishing in a legal way.