Marine Monitor (M2): Conservation Technology for Protecting Nearshore MPAs

Nearshore marine protected areas (MPAs) protect highly diverse ecosystems critical for ocean health and sustainability.

M2 PS Logo TIF 72dpiWhile ocean protected areas are expanding, illegal activity can go undetected as an estimated 95% of small-scale fishing operations in coastal and inland waters do not use tracking devices1, and larger boats with Automatic Identification System (AIS) transceivers can turn them off while operating illegally. Therefore, gathering a complete picture of compliance without vessel cooperation can be a challenge for resource-constrained local governments. As a result, illegal fishing is often unmeasured and unenforced, adding pressures to these biologically important marine preserves.

To address this challenge, ProtectedSeas created Marine Monitor (M2), a cloud-based monitoring system, to enable unsupervised surveillance of sensitive nearshore marine areas for more efficient deployment of local enforcement and to ensure ocean ecosystem services are maintained. M2 leverages off-the-shelf marine radar making it a cost-effective tool to improve monitoring and enforcement of small vessels, roughly seven meters in length out to five nautical miles offshore.

MarineMonitorMarine Monitor (M2) uses commercial off-the-shelf marine radar sensors to track vessels of all sizes in both urban and remote areas. In California, M2 monitors vessel traffic in nearshore MPAs where heavy commercial and recreational use overlap with thriving biological communities. Photo credit: Brendan Tougher, ProtectedSeas

The M2 system includes a pan-tilt camera that is steered by the radar. Live data are streamed to the cloud so that users can view both live and historical vessel information, trajectories, and photos through a simple-to-use web application. Geofencing around areas of concern alerts users via text message or email when vessels violate time-in-zone or speed triggers. Live tracks are also viewable on mobile devices to minimize alert response time and facilitate target tracking on the water. M2 uses the power of artificial intelligence to identify false targets caused by certain environmental conditions, a common problem in radar detection. By employing a machine learning model to discriminate between false targets and true vessels that are autonomously tracked by radar, M2 helps highlight targets of interest to MPA managers, such as vessels fishing illegally within MPA boundaries.

When paired with solar panels, batteries, and a mobile trailer, the M2 becomes the Mobile Marine Monitor (M3) with off-grid capability and the capacity for quick deployment in response to seasonal activities and evolving areas of concern. All M2/M3 hardware is designed to minimize onsite maintenance and management and is hardened for outdoor coastal environments. Most system upkeep and health monitoring is done remotely. M2 systems have been deployed in over 20 locations globally, and there are currently 12 active systems monitoring MPAs in three countries: Palau, Mexico, and the United States.

AmericanSamoaA Mobile Marine Monitor (M3) system, deployed to American Samoa in 2019, helps managers detect and monitor vessel activity around Tutuila Island in the western Pacific. The M2 system is regularly transported to different coastal areas on the island in response to changing conditions and management concerns. Photo credit: Brendan Tougher, ProtectedSeas

Case Study: Ngarchelong, Palau

In the state of Ngarchelong, Palau in the western Pacific Ocean, enforcement rangers use M2 to monitor vessel traffic in the Ngarchelong Marine Managed Area (NMMA). Within NMMA, the Ebiil Conservation Area, established in 2003, is of special concern due to aggregations of spawning fish species, invertebrate populations, and diverse coral communities. Harvest of marine resources is not allowed in this area, and entry is restricted, requiring both residents and visitors to be accompanied when entering to preserve the biologically important habitat.

In 2017, ProtectedSeas partnered with U.S.-based NGO OneReef to deploy an M2 system in Ngarchelong to help enhance management efforts. Roughly three kilometers offshore, human patrols, requiring time and resources, had been necessary to monitor vessel activity in the area, but M2 allows rangers to monitor this activity without the need for these patrols. Rangers receive an alert from M2 when a vessel has been detected within area boundaries for longer than three minutes and has been traveling under ten knots, which they have defined as activities of concern. Once an alert is received, rangers contact their local network to determine if a violation has occurred and respond accordingly, allowing them to maximize limited resources. With the help of M2, the Ngarchelong Rangers have seen a reduction in illegal activities taking place within the marine managed area.

Palau v2When the Ngarchelong Rangers receive an alert from M2 indicating that a vessel has breached the boundaries of the Ebiil Conservation Area off the coast of Palau, they use M2 to evaluate the situation, and plan an appropriate response. The mobile version lets users capitalize on the tracking power of M2 wherever they are. Photo credit: ProtectedSeas

Case Study: Cabo Pulmo National Park, Mexico

In Mexico, where roughly 56% of catch comes from illegal fishing2, MPA coverage has expanded by almost 200 million acres since 2016. However, operational budgets are small, significantly limiting capacity, including surveillance and enforcement. In 2018, the first M2 system in Mexico was deployed at Cabo Pulmo National Park in Baja California Sur in partnership with Pronatura Noroeste to enhance field operations in one of the world’s most special marine environments.

Pronatura works directly with the Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas (CONANP), the Mexican federal agency responsible for managing Mexico’s protected natural areas. M2 has been integrated into CONANP's daily operations and helps summarize patterns of suspicious activity and highlight where and when poaching is common. Strategic planning has resulted in an increase in compliance in the park and a more effective means of utilizing limited resources.

ActivityMapIn addition to a live view of vessel activity on the water and real-time notifications, M2 also facilitates historical analysis. By summarizing the density of vessel activity over time in the vicinity of Cabo Pulmo National Park (shown in the map), M2 partners identified a high concentration of activity of interest along the eastern boundary and northeast corner of the MPA. In response, M2 provided a custom alert zone at the boundary line so that managers are notified when a vessel is present in the area. Boundaries of the marine portion of the Cabo Pulmo National Park are shown in grey. Basemap imagery: Google Earth

In 2021, M2 will expand its reach to Costa Rica, Indonesia, Ecuador, Malaysia, and Belize with the hope to identify additional locations that can benefit from M2 conservation technology. The M2 team at ProtectedSeas actively seeks partnerships and collaborations with NGOs, government agencies, and academia throughout the world to deploy M2 systems to help ensure marine ecosystems are protected and enable MPA success globally in fragile, nearshore environments.

TrainingMPA managers and staff receive hands-on training when M2 systems are deployed. The partnerships formed between the M2 team and users in the field help both further local marine conservation efforts and also inform future M2 deployments with the shared goal of a more well-protected ocean. Photo credit: ProtectedSeas

References

1M. Taconet, D. Kroodsma, J.A. Fernandes, Global Atlas of AIS-based Fishing Activity - Challenges and Opportunities, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Rome, 2019.
2Mexican Institute of Competitiveness, Community and Biodiversity, Environmental Defense Fund of Mexico, Idea Foundation, Niparajá Natural History Society. 2013. Illegal and Irregular Fishing in Mexico: A Barrier to Competitiveness. Report.

External links:

https://protectedseas.net/marine-monitor-m2
https://www.pronatura-noroeste.org/en
https://www.onereef.org

This article is part of an online series dedicated to the UN Ocean Decade. One story will be published each week that is related to initiatives, new knowledge, partnerships, or innovative solutions that are relevant to the following seven Ocean Decade outcomes. Access the special digital issue dedicated to the Ocean Decade here.

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