Despite frightening rates of extinction of edible marine animals, poachers are found around the world. They are completely not concerned about the life of our planet, profit is the only thing that interests them. And despite the tough laws, prohibitions and heavy fines for illegal fishing, nothing can stop them.
Recently, scientists managed to expand the tracking zone for free waters and better control the area where fishing is prohibited. And they were helped by the new technologies and the marine inhabitants themselves, namely albatrosses. These are the largest seabirds, their wingspan can reach three meters. How did scientists manage to attract birds to patrol the sea?
Bird patrol
Scientists launched a squadron of 169 albatrosses near the Indian Ocean towards the Antarctic waters. It happened back in November last year. Each bird was equipped with advanced communications. They patrolled an area of 47 million square kilometers.
And this mission has confirmed that the region is actively fishing. And this, by the way, is a zone outside the national economic waters, where fishing is prohibited. For the first time, scientists were able to conduct such a detailed assessment of the situation, and big gulls helped them in this.
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Why you had to attract birds
The use of modern monitoring systems is completely inappropriate. The flight requires a lot of financial costs, and satellite radars are also expensive, and although they can detect the ship itself, but only if located above it. A lot of equipment can suffer and just a gulf in the sea.
In addition, the vessel can easily turn off the AIS system, but it will leave the radar on to avoid a collision. At the same time, the airborne albatross will detect the ship at a distance of 30 kilometers and will go to it if there is their food on the deck - illegally caught fish.
