Robots may spy on illegal fishing

A US company is attempting to help Pacific island nations and territories combat illegal fishing with a wave-riding robot which can sense boats offshore.

The Pacific territory of Palau earlier this year declared no commercial fishing would take place in its 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone.

The country currently uses a Cessna Skymaster, and has also explored the use of unmanned drones, to patrol the fishing zone which is roughly the size of France.

Todd Kleperis of Liquid Robotics International says the wave and solar-powered skimmer is a much cheaper option.

“Anything that’s up the in the air is a great secondary tool – you don’t want to use it as a first tool because it’s going to cost too much money in fuel and pilot time,” he said.

“If you put a wave glider out there – there’s no fuel, there’s no men – you just let the robot do its job and it comes back and gives you information.”

Up to 20 wave gliders can be operated by one person, and they can be fitted with up to 70 different sensors and detect ships up to 25-30 kilometres away.

Kleperis says they’re designed to last in the ocean for many years, and one recently survived nine-metre waves off the coast of Philippines during Typhoon Rammasun.

“Up to 70 different sensors can be fitted on the wave glider, so it depends upon the application that the country will be looking for,” he said.

“It would enhance weather detection, so you’d be able to detect when storms are happening – it will look for different patterns in the weather.

“Right now it’s very difficult to get the information on what’s happening out there on the ocean, but our device can help because it’s out there on the ocean all the time, listening for this type of event.”

Illegal fishing is expected to figure highly on the agenda as leaders from the Pacific Islands Forum meet in Palau this week.