Open-source technology could lead to low-cost surveillance systems in the battle against this devastating fishing practice

Indonesia and Australia agreed on an alternative livelihood development program, cooperation in supervision and law enforcement, as well as a Public Information Campaign (PIC) to address fishing violations by Indonesian fishermen in the Australian waters.

Decades of blast fishing have destroyed much of the coral reefs off Indonesia’s Lora village, reducing fish catches. A community organization is seeking to have the region zoned as a conservation area.

In central Indonesia’s Spermonde archipelago, a coral reef destroyed by blast fishing — where sticks of dynamite are thrown into the reef to kill fish — has been recovering, but scientists weren’t sure if its ecosystem would return as well. That is, until they heard the endearingly unusual sounds of marine life.

Securing a vast area like the ocean requires cutting-edge technology to monitor illegal activities and safeguard aquatic species. What are the latest innovations being deployed to conserve protected areas of the ocean?