Biologists demonstrate how satellite data on fishing can help protect ocean biodiversity
Beyond the breakers, the ocean is like the Wild West. While not completely lawless, its vastness and remoteness make it hard to observe and more difficult to manage human activity.
Recently developed technology may change that. A navigational safety aid called AIS (Automatic Ship Identification Systems)—which transmits publically accessible data on the exact position of ocean-going vessels via satellite—is not only useful for collision avoidance, but also has potential as a means of protecting ocean health. An international group of scientists explored exactly how the power of this information could be harnessed to intelligently manage sustainable futures for fish and fishermen across global oceans.
UC Santa Barbara's Douglas McCauley led the team that analyzed billions of vessel data points to answer two important questions: Is a new cohort of massive marine parks doing its job to stop illegal fishing? And can this data help back a planned United Nations treaty to better manage high seas biodiversity? Their results appear in the journal Science.
"The oceans are home to our planet's most spectacular wildlife, healthiest food and treasured ecosystems," said McCauley, an assistant professor in UCSB's Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology. "We need a new generation of smart observation tools to carefully manage the future of the ocean."
Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2016-03-biologists-satellite-fishing-ocean-biodiversity.html#jCp
