"Global Study Exposes Vast Number of Unmonitored 'Dark Vessels' Threatening Oceans"

A new study using satellite data and deep-learning models has revealed a significant number of "dark vessels" in the world's oceans that are not publicly tracked, including 72-76% of fishing vessels and 25% of transport and energy vessels. This lack of tracking creates blind spots in our understanding of maritime activity, which is crucial for managing resources and protecting marine ecosystems. The study, aiming to increase transparency and aid in ocean management, has been published in Nature and provides detailed maps of industrial activity at sea, highlighting the need for better monitoring to address issues like illegal fishing and the protection of marine species.