Conservation Crowdsourcing

Writer Todd Reubold
@treubold Media and communications professional

Tweet Facebook Share on Google+ Linkedin

We are glad to share Ensia articles free of charge under the terms of Creative Commons’ Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported license. At the beginning of your post, please attribute the writer and Ensia as the original source and link to the Ensia article.

You must use the “Get Article” link below and use the copied text for your repost. Stories may not be edited without permission from Ensia. Please send an email to contact@ensia.com with a link to the republished story on your site once posted.

Images and other visuals are not included in this license. For specific questions related to visuals, please contact David Doody. For other inquiries, email contact@ensia.com.

The post is now in your clipboard. You can paste it directly into the WYSIWYG editor of your site.

June 21, 2013 — Conservationists may soon have a powerful new tool in the fight against illegal fishing. FishNET, developed by the Center for Ocean Solutions, is a Web-based system that relies on crowdsourcing, drone technology and satellites to monitor and report illegal fishing activities across the globe. The platform holds particular promise for parts of the world that currently lack sufficient monitoring and enforcement. According to project founder and National Geographic Emerging Explorer Shah Selbe, “The oceans are at a critical turning point. Our ability to reverse the effects of the last 50 years of accelerated industrial fishing and protect the earth’s last great frontier is within our capabilities.” The technology also has the potential to curb illegal pollution, ecosystem destruction, illegal wildlife trade and other conservation challenges. Photo by WanderingtheWorld (Flickr | Creative Commons)

Show your support for nonprofit journalism!

Ensia shares solutions-focused stories free of charge through our online magazine and partner media. That means audiences around the world have ready access to stories that can — and do — help them shape a better future. If you value our work, please show your support today.

Yes, I'll support Ensia!

Conservation Crowdsourcing

You care about environmental issues. So do we!

You're in! Watch your email soon for stories that build awareness and understanding of urgent environmental problems — and promising solutions to those problems.