Combatting illegal maritime fishing on Kenyan the Kenyan Coast

Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing is a significant threat to marine biodiversity,
livelihoods, and food security worldwide. Kenya, with its extensive coastline along the Indian Ocean,
is not immune to this challenge. In this project we hope to utilize satellite imaging and AI to check on
unregistered ships which are operating on the Kenyan waters stealing our resources and harming the
marine eco-system. The project will three satellite types equipped Computer vision optical satellites
(these satellites capture images in the visible spectrum but limited by cloud cover and night-time
conditions), Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Satellites (SAR can penetrate clouds and work day and
night) and AIS tracking devices placed on legitimate ships registered by the Kenya Maritime
Authority. AI (particularly Convolution Neural Networks) will be employed in identifying ships
exhibiting behavior similar to fishing ships and flag them for surveillance and dispatch this
information to our able naval forces.

Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing threatens marine biodiversity, local livelihoods,
and food security in Kenya. Unregistered vessels operating in Kenyan waters deplete fish stocks,
harm marine ecosystems, and undermine lawful fishing activities. In the word of former president
H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta "Kenya is losing an estimated 10 billion shillings (118million USD) annually due
to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in its territorial waters. Despite Kenyan Coast being
home to the largest and richest fishing ground, Kenyan marine (ocean) fisheries contribute a paltry 5
per cent of the 174,000 metric tons of fish produced in the country,’’

Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing critically affects Kenya’s marine biodiversity,
economy, and food security, resulting in annual losses of billions of shillings due to illegal fishing by
foreign vessels. Addressing this issue is essential for sustainable development and aligns with both
global and national priorities. This project aims to contribute to Earth observation by employing
synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and optical satellites to provide continuous, high-resolution imagery,
overcoming limitations such as cloud cover and darkness. Additionally, it will utilize AI for real-time
image analysis, enhancing the accuracy and speed of detecting unregistered and suspicious vessels.

With the data collected from the project we can improve current maritime spaceborne AI which can
be employed by other fields such as naval defense systems.

1. Reduce IUU Fishing Incidents.

2.Increase Response Efficiency of Maritime Authorities

3.Intergrate Data from Different Sources (AIS and Satellite imaging) for Accurate Maritime
Monitoring

4. Improve Maritime Computer Vision AI

1. Project Planning

- A detailed technical specification document on the AI algorithms used the kind of satellites to

be employed and the software to be developed.

 - A Software Requirements and Specification document detailing the scope of the project and

will act as a contract showing the success criteria of the project.

- A schedule showing expected period for construction and deployment of the project

2. Data Collection and Integration

-Satellite image collection of maritime vessels (this will be used in model training and evaluation)

-Integrating AIS data and Satellite imaging data in a database

-Maritime ecosystem baselevel assessment by Kenya Maritime Authority to determine base level

fish stock which will be used as a measure of the systems performance

3. System Development

- Initial versions AI Detection Algorithms and machine learning models for detecting unregistered

and suspicious vessels.

-Develop an integrated computer system for analyzing and displaying satellite and AIS data.

-Develop real-time Alert automated system for generating and dispatching alerts to naval

forces.

5. Pilot Testing

- Pilot test report containing results and analysis of initial tests conducted in the cost region.

- Update the AI models based on pilot test feedback.

6. Implementation

-Fully deployed and functional satellite imaging and AI detection system.

-Train 100 personnel in using the new technologies.

-Conducting community workshop and documenting workshops and feedback from

fishermen and women.

7. Monitoring and Evaluation

-Regular assessments of marine biodiversity and fish stock levels.

-Quarterly reports detailing the number of detected IUU fishing incidents.

-Reports analyzing the average response times and effectiveness of enforcement actions.

1. Utilization of AI and satellite technologies for effective real-time maritime monitoring

This will demonstrate the capabilities of satellites and AI in Earth observation by developing and

deploying machine learning models for real-time image analysis. This enhances the speed and
 accuracy of detecting illegal activities, setting a precedent for similar applications in other

domains.

2.Pioneering the integration of satellite and AIS data to provide a comprehensive and accurate

maritime surveillance system. This approach enhances the ability to monitor and manage marine

resources effectively.

1. Satellite Imagery (Optical and Synthetic Aperture Radar - SAR)- This image data will be

paramount in training our models. This data can be sourced from STAR.VISION(A chinese AI

satellite company), NASA or the ESA(European Space Agency)

2. Automatic Identification System (AIS) Data- AIS transponders installed on registered vessels and

AIS data aggregators such as MarineTraffic and Spire Global.

Adjusting the satellite imagery to correct for sensor noise and atmospheric effects. Tools such as
ENVI or ERDAS IMAGINE can be used.

1. Object Detection: Utilizing convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to detect and identify vessels in

satellite images. Libraries such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, and OpenCV will be instrumental.

2. For Anomaly Detection: Isolation Forests will be employed. This is an unsupervised learning

algorithm that identifies anomalies in vessel behavior by isolating outliers in the data. This model

helps in detecting vessels that exhibit unusual patterns, which may indicate IUU fishing activities.

3. Regression Analysis: Multiple regression models to analyze the relationship between different

variables (e.g., weather conditions, fishing seasons) and IUU fishing incidents.

4. Rule-Based Systems: Implementing business rules to automatically flag suspicious activities based

on predefined criteria, such as entering protected zones or exhibiting erratic movements.

1. Using confusion matrix - inspections and patrols in coordination with naval forces to verify the
presence and activities of vessels detected by the system. Then a confusion matrix a ratio of True
Positive Rate (TPR), False Positive Rate (FPR), Precision.

2. Synthetic Data Generation - Create synthetic scenarios simulating various IUU activities (e.g.,
entering no-fishing zones, operating vessels with disabled AIS) and test the models against these
scenarios to evaluate their detection capabilities.