WWF Germany Introduces AI Platform To Detect & Remove Ghost Nets From Oceans
WWF Germany has introduced a new AI-powered platform, GhostNetZero.ai, to improve the search and removal of ghost nets-abandoned fishing gear that endangers marine life and contributes to ocean plastic pollution.
The initiative, developed with the support of Accenture and Microsoft AI for Good Lab, aims to automate the detection process using high-resolution sonar data.
Ghost nets pose a major environmental threat, making up nearly 30% of marine plastic waste. Every year, about 50,000 tons of fishing nets are lost at sea, and 20% of all fishing gear ends up discarded in the ocean.
These nets, which remain submerged and invisible from the surface, continue trapping fish, seabirds, turtles, and marine mammals, leading to long-term ecological damage.
The AI system, developed by Microsoft AI for Good Lab, scans sonar images collected for various purposes, such as ensuring maritime safety and offshore wind farm sit…
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