AI-Powered Tool Revolutionizes Detection of Ghost Fishing Nets
Marine conservation takes a technological leap with the development of an AI tool designed to identify and locate abandoned fishing nets, known as ghost nets. This innovation leverages advanced underwater imaging to address a critical environmental threat.
Ghost nets account for roughly 2% of lost fishing gear annually—approximately 80,000 square kilometers. These nearly invisible synthetic webs entangle marine life like seals and turtles while degrading into microplastics. The collaboration between WWF Germany, Accenture, and Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab has yielded GhostNetZero.ai, a platform analyzing high-resolution seabed data to pinpoint hazardous debris.