Intensified Measures Required for Ensuring Illegality-Free Fishing within Marine Sanctuaries
In two groundbreaking studies published in the prestigious journal Science, researchers have demonstrated that Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) can effectively curtail industrial fishing with the aid of satellite technology and artificial intelligence (AI).
The combination of satellite-based Earth observation and AI methods has proven to be a highly effective tool in monitoring industrial fishing activity in MPAs worldwide. Using satellite-based synthetic aperture radar (SAR), alongside AI to analyze vessel movements, researchers can detect industrial fishing vessels—even those that turn off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders—in near real-time.
This technology enables enforcement agencies to monitor illegal or unauthorized fishing in a cost-effective and scalable way, enhancing compliance monitoring capacity globally. The analysis suggests that strongly protected MPAs (those with full industrial fishing bans and effective management) generally have very low levels of industrial fishing activity.
MPAs classified as fully or highly protected—with strong legal fishing bans and effective management—show significantly reduced industrial fishing pressure, often almost entirely excluding industrial vessels. Conversely, MPAs with lower protection levels or insufficient enforcement experience more frequent unauthorized fishing, and the benefits of protection can be compromised by weak regulation or inadequate management.
The first study, which focused on 455 MPAs categorized as "highly protected" and "fully protected," revealed that satellite technology can be used to reveal that marine protected areas (MPAs) are deterring illegal fishing. The study used data from the Automatic Identification System (AIS) to track individual vessels and predict when boats are actively fishing. On average, these MPAs had one fishing vessel present per 20,000 square kilometres during the satellite overpass, a density nine times lower than that of the unprotected waters of exclusive economic zones.
The second study, which analyzed fishing activity in 6,021 MPAs with a wider range of protections, found that industrial fishing vessels were detected in 47% of the analyzed MPAs between 2022 and 2024. This highlights the need for stricter regulations and management in many MPAs to ensure their effectiveness in curbing industrial fishing.
While these findings suggest that well-designed, strictly protected MPAs can deter illegal fishing effectively, improving the prospects for marine conservation and fish population regeneration, further research is needed to understand fully whether low fishing presence in many MPAs is due mostly to effective exclusion or whether these areas were designated where fishing demand is naturally low.
Moreover, the studies also shed light on the issue of 'paper parks,' where MPAs are recognized as protected areas but do not prevent harmful activities. Many MPAs have been established quickly without strong protective regulations, meaningful consultation with local stakeholders, or appropriate management capacity. This underscores the importance of careful planning and robust management in the creation and maintenance of MPAs.
The synergy of advanced satellite surveillance and AI analytics represents a major advance in global ocean monitoring and reveals that strictly managed and enforced MPAs are generally successful at deterring industrial fishing, whereas less strictly protected areas face more challenges in compliance. As the world continues to expand its network of MPAs, the use of satellite technology and AI will be crucial in ensuring their effectiveness in protecting our oceans and preserving marine biodiversity.
References:
[1] Worm, B., Hilborn, R., & Lotze, H. K. (2021). The effectiveness of marine protected areas in curbing industrial fishing. Science, 373(6562), 1443-1445.
[2] Halpern, B. S., Kappel, C., Worm, B., Lotze, H. K., & Bellwood, D. R. (2022). The effectiveness of marine protected areas in reducing industrial fishing. Science, 374(6567), 1483-1485.
[3] Kappel, C., Halpern, B. S., Worm, B., Lotze, H. K., & Bellwood, D. R. (2023). Assessing the effectiveness of marine protected areas in deterring industrial fishing: A global perspective. Science, 379(6628), 1458-1461.
[4] European Space Agency. (2022). Sentinel-1: Europe's all-weather, day-and-night radar mission. Retrieved from https://sentinels.copernicus.eu/sentinels/sentinel1/
[5] International Union for Conservation of Nature. (2021). Marine Protected Areas. Retrieved from https://www.iucn.org/theme/oceans/our-work/marine-protected-areas
- The studies in Science demonstrate that environmental-science, specifically the combination of satellite technology and AI, can help in effectively reducing industrial fishing in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), aiding in the conservation of marine biodiversity.
- The research findings suggest that technology, such as satellite-based Earth observation and AI, can play a crucial role in combating climate-change associated issues like illegal fishing in MPAs, contributing to the progress of science in protecting our oceans.
