Starting from 2012 ScanEx RDC specialists have been working to identify illegal shipping within marine protected natural areas. Several test areas in the Arctic Region and the Far East have been chosen to evaluate the effectiveness of satellite data for monitoring the navigation situation within the reserve. One of the test zones was the “Komandorsky” State Nature Biosphere Reserve.
Satellite monitoring data of navigation based on signals for automatic identification systems (AIS) formed the basis of this monitoring, as well as radar and optical satellite images of high and medium resolution. In accordance with the international sOLAS convention, all vessels with more than 500 of gross registered tonnage taking international routes are equipped with AIS radio transmitting equipment. Service on satellite monitoring of AIS signals is provided by the Canadian exactEarth Ltd. company – the operator of the satellite system and a leading provider of services for ships monitoring based on AIS signals (systems were named S-AIS , satellite-based AIS). Service of operational satellite images of middle and high-resolution of SPOT 5 and RADARSAT- 1 satellites and integration of data into a single web portal is carried out by ScanEx RDC.
According to the results of AIS and satellite imagery data analysis ships-offenders were identified, a number of cases of trespassing nature reserve boundaries by the ships were registered, including small-size vessels not equipped with AIS transmitters, as well as cases of oil pollution of the sea surface due to discharges from ships.
The identified violations of the navigation rules within marine protected natural areas are classified into 3 main categories:
• Crossing borders of marine protected natural areas by cargo vessels to straighten the routes and save fuel;
• illegal fishing within the marine protected natural area;
• unauthorized routes of cruise liners.
The findings of violations have led to the initiation of proceedings of administrative offenses and bringing administrative actions against companies, ship owners and masters. These materials have also been transferred to the frontier department of the FSB of Russia of the Kamchatka Territory . As a result of the project implementation the number of vessels trespassing the borders of the marine protected natural areas started to reduce.
Effective yearly 2013 ScanEx RDC and the “Komandorsky” State Natural Biosphere Reserve signed a contract, according to which ScanEx RDC conducts monitoring of illegal shipping within its borders with the operational AIS-notification in case of vessels entry within the area of interest.
Results of the navigation situation monitoring within the Komandorsky nature reserve as an example of successful AIS service implementation were published on the website of the exactEarth Ltd. company: http://main.exactearth.com/casestudy-environmental.
