@jenraynor.bsky.social
Economist working at the intersection of ocean science, policy & data | Asst. Prof @uwmadison.bsky.social | Formerly @noaa.gov | I study who uses the sea, and how
History made for the ocean: #BBNJ Agreement enters into force, protecting high seas & deep seabed, safeguarding life under water.
“Our ocean is the foundation of our very existence. Today we took an important step forward to save our ocean, & to save our future” - ED @ingerandersen.bsky.social
Thank you!
11.09.2025 20:49 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0Isn't it incredible! Enric took this photo in the Galapagos.
28.07.2025 18:46 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Big thanks to my collaborators @emlab.ucsb.edu + Nat Geo Pristine Seas, and to @globalfishingwatch.org + ProtectedSeas for key data.
Full paper in @science.org: doi.org/10.1126/scie...
Explainer in @theconversation.com: theconversation.com/we-tracked-i...
#ScienceResearch #OceanTransparency #MPAs
Our study points to a promising shift in strategy:
⚓The future of enforcement in protected areas isn’t just more patrols.
🛰️ It’s using satellites + open data to target patrols where they’re needed most.
These tools can make enforcement more efficient, especially for countries with limited capacity.
This is a rare good-news story for ocean conservation, and a proof of concept for monitoring vast ocean protections with open data + AI. These tools are scalable, transparent, and cost-effective, offering a promising model for monitoring ocean activity worldwide.
24.07.2025 22:44 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0The results?
📉 96% of these protected areas saw less than one day of apparent fishing effort per year; 80% saw none at all.
📉 Just 1 fishing vessel detection per 20,000 km² on average in protected areas—9x lower than unprotected waters.
Not bad for places many assumed had rampant poaching.
We used two independent tools to detect industrial fishing vessels:
📡 AIS - a tracking system that broadcasts ship locations, but can be turned off or tampered with
🛰️ SAR - satellite radar that detects large vessels, even if they aren’t using AIS
#SatelliteImagery #AIS #copernicus #Sentinel1
Using AI + Earth observation satellites, we analyzed industrial fishing activity in 1380 fully and highly protected MPAs spanning almost 8 million square kilometers around the globe. These are places where industrial fishing is completely banned. Here’s what we did and found 👇
24.07.2025 22:44 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0We asked a simple but high-stakes question: Do industrial fishers actually follow the rules in the world’s most strictly protected marine areas?
💡The assumption: Probably not. MPAs are remote, hard to police, and often seen as paper parks.
💡The reality: Little to no illegal activity in most places.
Underwater image of a sea lion hunting salema fish in the Galapagos Marine Reserve.
Why do some say marine protected areas are just “paper parks”? And are industrial fishers actually staying out of these no-fishing zones?
New in @science.org: We used AI + satellite radar to find out. doi.org/10.1126/scie...
#ScienceResearch #OceanConservation #OceanTransparency #30x30 #Fisheries
