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Jen Raynor

@jenraynor.bsky.social

Economist working at the intersection of ocean science, policy & data | Asst. Prof @uwmadison.bsky.social | Formerly @noaa.gov | I study who uses the sea, and how

Posts Replies Media

Reposted by Jen Raynor

UN Environment Programme @unep.org · 20/09/2025

History made for the ocean: #BBNJ Agreement enters into force, protecting high seas & deep seabed, safeguarding life under water. “Our ocean is the foundation of our very existence. Today we took an important step forward to save our ocean, & to save our future” - ED @ingerandersen.bsky.social

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Jen Raynor @jenraynor.bsky.social · 11/09/2025

Thank you!

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Jen Raynor @jenraynor.bsky.social · 28/07/2025

Isn't it incredible! Enric took this photo in the Galapagos.

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Jen Raynor @jenraynor.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

Big thanks to my collaborators @emlab.ucsb.edu + Nat Geo Pristine Seas, and to @globalfishingwatch.org + ProtectedSeas for key data. Full paper in @science.org: doi.org/10.1126/scie... Explainer in @theconversation.com: theconversation.com/we-tracked-i... #ScienceResearch #OceanTransparency #MPAs

doi.org

Little-to-no industrial fishing occurs in fully and highly protected marine areas

There is a widespread perception that illegal fishing is common in marine protected areas (MPAs) due to strong incentives for poaching and the high cost of monitoring and enforcement. Using artificial...

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Jen Raynor @jenraynor.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

Our study points to a promising shift in strategy: ⚓The future of enforcement in protected areas isn’t just more patrols. 🛰️ It’s using satellites + open data to target patrols where they’re needed most. These tools can make enforcement more efficient, especially for countries with limited capacity.

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Jen Raynor @jenraynor.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

This is a rare good-news story for ocean conservation, and a proof of concept for monitoring vast ocean protections with open data + AI. These tools are scalable, transparent, and cost-effective, offering a promising model for monitoring ocean activity worldwide.

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Jen Raynor @jenraynor.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

The results? 📉 96% of these protected areas saw less than one day of apparent fishing effort per year; 80% saw none at all. 📉 Just 1 fishing vessel detection per 20,000 km² on average in protected areas—9x lower than unprotected waters. Not bad for places many assumed had rampant poaching.

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Jen Raynor @jenraynor.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

We used two independent tools to detect industrial fishing vessels: 📡 AIS - a tracking system that broadcasts ship locations, but can be turned off or tampered with 🛰️ SAR - satellite radar that detects large vessels, even if they aren’t using AIS #SatelliteImagery #AIS #copernicus #Sentinel1

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Jen Raynor @jenraynor.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

Using AI + Earth observation satellites, we analyzed industrial fishing activity in 1380 fully and highly protected MPAs spanning almost 8 million square kilometers around the globe. These are places where industrial fishing is completely banned. Here’s what we did and found 👇

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Jen Raynor @jenraynor.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

We asked a simple but high-stakes question: Do industrial fishers actually follow the rules in the world’s most strictly protected marine areas? 💡The assumption: Probably not. MPAs are remote, hard to police, and often seen as paper parks. 💡The reality: Little to no illegal activity in most places.

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Jen Raynor @jenraynor.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

Why do some say marine protected areas are just “paper parks”? And are industrial fishers actually staying out of these no-fishing zones? New in @science.org: We used AI + satellite radar to find out. doi.org/10.1126/scie... #ScienceResearch #OceanConservation #OceanTransparency #30x30 #Fisheries

Underwater image of a sea lion hunting salema fish in the Galapagos Marine Reserve.

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