Earth-observing satellites have helped detect previously unmapped global fishing vessels, revealing nearly 75% of the world's industrial activity at sea was "hidden" from public view.
Using satellite imagery from 2017-2021, vessel GPS data and machine learning software, a team led by the Global Fishing Watch created the first world map of large vessel traffic and offshore infrastructure. Their findings bring to light a large number of "dark vessels," or those that previously didn't appear in public monitoring systems, offering a better understanding of the global impact of human activity at sea.
