Saving Seafood

Your virtual crow’s nest: Drones in commercial fishing

March 6, 2020 — According to legend, the term “crow’s nest” derives from the practice of Viking sailors, who carried crows or ravens in a cage secured to the top of the mast. In cases of poor visibility, a crow was released, and the navigator plotted a course corresponding to the bird’s flight path, which invariably headed toward the nearest land. If the bird didn’t return, it was a sign that land was near. The Bible also tells us that while on the ark, Noah released a raven first, and then doves, to find dry land.

Sailing vessels used a crow’s nest as a vantage point to spot other ships, hazards, land or, in the case of fishing ships, fish schools near the surface, long before radar was invented. Fishermen have always relied on the understanding of the elements to guide them: the water current, its temperature, the direction of the wind and its humidity are important information used to locate fish. Now, drones are bringing some fishfinding technology back above the water.

Modern times have given fishermen new tools to search for fish schools, from the radar or sonar to GPS. Fish shoal and school together because large numbers gives them some kind of protection against some of their natural predators. The same critical mass that provides the safety of numbers also makes them easier to spot.

Drones make it more accessible to search for large quantities of fish or in some cases, large fish. While owners of bigger offshore fishing boats may have the economic means to use technologies like multibeam echosounders, small-boat operators may find that drones are an affordable solution to spot fish schools. Raymarine’s Axiom UAV application is a good example of such a solution, as it brings together the power of advanced marine electronics and advanced unmanned aerial vehicles.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

NOAA’s Drone Use Makes a Huge Splash at Recent Demo in Hawai‘i

March 5, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

At an unmanned aerial system (UAS) workshop held on December 11, 2019, NOAA demonstrastrated how it uses UAS technology in coral-related marine applications. The workshop brought together various agencies and NGOs who conduct geographical surveys for a technology show-and-tell. The gathering may lead to new collaborative projects between NOAA and partners.

“Everybody was super excited about our demonstration,” said Robert O’Conner, fishery information specialist with the NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Regional Office. “The workshop was a really nice way to build collaboration between groups,” added Dr. Matthew Parry, a fishery biologist with the NOAA Restoration Center and the Damage Assessment, Remediation and Restoration Program.

The workshop was organized by the Hawai‘i Geographic Information Coordinating Council, a nonprofit that brings together members of Hawai‘i’s geospatial community. Members include, among others:

  • NOAA
  • U.S. Geological Survey
  • U.S. Forest Service
  • University of Hawai‘i
  • Hawai‘i Statewide GIS Program
  • Women in Technology

The event was held at the Kawainui R/C Air Model Field in Kailua, O‘ahu. There were UAS demonstrations from NOAA, the environmental consulting agency Dudek, and the surveying company Frontier Precision.

Read the full release here

NOAA: Drone technology aids whale research off Hawaii

July 29, 2016 — HONOLULU — Federal researchers returning from a 30-day expedition to study whales and dolphins around the Hawaiian Islands said Thursday they are looking for clues to help sustain healthy populations of the marine mammals.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists told reporters that gathering data on the animals is often difficult, especially around the windward coasts of the Hawaiian Islands.

The researchers worked from a large ship, instead of using their normally small survey boats, and explored the coasts of the main Hawaiian Islands where wind conditions and severe weather make it difficult to navigate and remain at sea for extended periods of time.

The team also used a hexacopter drone to photograph the whales and dolphins, something they have never done before in this region.

Using drones allows researchers to get better images of groups of whales because they are not disturbed by the approaching boat, said NOAA’s Erin Oleson, who led the expedition.

The vantage point of the drone also allowed them to more accurately count the number of individuals in a pod, including mothers and calves that sometimes stay underwater. The number of calves helps researchers gauge the whale’s reproductive health. The perspective also allows the scientists to get more accurate size estimates for individual whales.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at The Daily News

Local scientists counting sea turtles with drones

July 5, 2016 — A team of researchers are conducting their annual sea turtle survey at the coast this summer.  But this year, they have a new tool to give them a bird’s eye view.  Drones equipped with cameras fly over the water and capture images of sea turtles from above.

The Federal Aviation Administration recently approved commercial drone flight.  Operators must adhere to strict guidelines like flying during daylight hours and keeping the unmanned aerial vehicle under 400 feet.  Still, the landmark rules open up a realm of possibilities for real estate, filmmakers, search and rescue and many other applications.

Here at the coast, Assistant professor of the practice of marine conservation and ecology at the Duke Marine Lab Dave Johnston has been exploring the potential for drones to aid in marine research.  He’s assisting with a sea turtle survey this summer.

Read the full story at Public Radio East

Bring on the Drones: Mediterranean Sees Severe Overfishing

February 9th, 2016 — BRUSSELS — Experts say almost all species in the Mediterranean are still overfished despite decades of seeing stocks dwindle — and that is forcing the European Union to consider creative solutions like using drones or space technology to catch fraudulent fishermen.

EU Fisheries chief Karmenu Vella said Tuesday some stocks “are on the verge of depletion. All in all, 93 percent of the fish stocks assessed are overexploited.” On top of that, he said one in two fish caught in the Mediterranean are not even recorded with authorities — raising the specter of even worse depletion.

Read the full story at The New York Times

Wiscasset, Maine debates using drones to catch clam poachers

September 17, 2015 — Wiscasset selectmen heard a second proposal involving drones at their Tuesday, Sept. 15 meeting, this time from a representative of the shellfish committee. The committee is investigating the use of drones to enforce the shellfish ordinance and prevent poachers from depleting a hard-fought-for resource in Wiscasset, Richard Forrest said to selectmen.

The issue was brought to the attention of selectmen because the committee did not want to investigate the matter further unless the town supported the initiative, Forrest said. Selectmen advised the shellfish committee to bring the proposal in front of the selectmen and the budget committee during the next budget season, in part because the estimated $2,000 expense for drone use was not incorporated into the committee’s 2015-2016 budget.

The approximate price of a bushel of clams three weeks ago was $200, Forrest said, a price which has attracted poachers to Wiscasset’s mudflats. “This really bothers me,” Forrest said. “We put in so much to get this resource to the point where harvesters can make a living.”

While not a dire situation, there have been scattered instances of poachers digging clams in Cushman’s Cove and Polly Clark Cove, Forrest said. The poachers are sophisticated, oftentimes travel by water, and are difficult for Shellfish Warden Jon Hentz, who serves three municipalities, to catch.

Read the full story at the Bangor Daily News