Jen Raynor
@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
Isn't it incredible! Enric took this photo in the Galapagos.
July 28, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Isn't it incredible! Enric took this photo in the Galapagos.
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
Full paper in @science.org: doi.org/10.1126/scie...
Explainer in @theconversation.com: theconversation.com/we-tracked-i...
#ScienceResearch #OceanTransparency #MPAs
Little-to-no industrial fishing occurs in fully and highly protected marine areas
There is a widespread perception that illegal fishing is common in marine protected areas (MPAs) due to strong incentives for poaching and the high cost of monitoring and enforcement. Using artificial...
doi.org
July 24, 2025 at 10:44 PM
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
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.
⚓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.
July 24, 2025 at 10:44 PM
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.
⚓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.
July 24, 2025 at 10:44 PM
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.
The 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.
📉 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.
July 24, 2025 at 10:44 PM
The 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.
📉 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
📡 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
July 24, 2025 at 10:44 PM
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
📡 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 👇
July 24, 2025 at 10:44 PM
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 👇
We 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.
💡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.
July 24, 2025 at 10:44 PM
We 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.
💡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.