The ocean covers over 70% of our planet. It regulates the global climate, is home to 80% of life on Earth, acts as a carbon sink, and supports the livelihoods of billions of people. As an avid swimmer and surfer, I also think the ocean is just damn amazing.
However, the world's oceans are facing unprecedented threats from pollution, overfishing and climate change, undermining the health of an ecosystem that supports all life on Earth.
In this era of rapid technological advancement, innovative solutions are emerging that can help reverse the damage. From autonomous drones and AI to blockchain and even a Tinder-inspired donation appA new wave of technological tools is changing marine conservation.
Underwater satellites
The German startup PlanBlue has built an “underwater satellite” called DiveRay that can map the seafloor.
So far, only 5% of the oceans have been explored, so our knowledge of how the oceans work and the impacts of human activities is still very fragmentary.
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DiveRay is equipped with high-resolution cameras and navigation sensors. An AI algorithm automatically processes this data and creates interactive maps of everything from coral reefs to seagrass meadows.
DiveRay creates a 3D map of the seafloor. Image credit: PlanBlue
Researchers around the world are using PlanBlue's technology to study the health of underwater ecosystems. Scientists are also using DiveRay to track the progress of restoration projects, such as coral gardens.
PlanBlue recently partnered with Dutch surveying giant Fugro to further develop its technology, and the company is also working to make DiveRay compatible with underwater robots that can be programmed to search much larger areas than human divers.
The app against overfishing
Although we still know very little about the seafloor, the extent of overfishing in our oceans is well documented. Almost 90% of the world’s marine fish stocks are now completely exploited, overfished or depleted.
You may think that giving up fish altogether is the solution, and you may be right. But the reality is that Billions of people Seafood is an important source of food and income.
Based in Cape Town, South Africa, ABALOBI is an app and traceability platform that aims to kill two birds with one stone. It aims to combat overfishing while supporting local fishermen whose income depends on fishing.
ABALOBI is designed to support small-scale fishermen, not large commercial trawlers. Photo credit: ABALOBI
The platform is centered around three apps. The first allows fishermen to upload details of their daily catch to an encrypted database. Only fish caught legally and within sustainable catch limits can be uploaded.
Restaurants and homeowners can then purchase the fish at a fair price via a marketplace app. The majority of the profit goes directly to the fisherman or fisherwoman who caught the fish.
The app connects small-scale fishermen with a fair and transparent marketplace. Image credit: ABALOBI
“This technology enables fishermen to connect to fair and transparent digital markets and earn a better living from ecologically resilient fish species,” Serge Raemakers, founder of ABALOBI, tells TNW.
ABALOBI enables fishermen to get a fair price for less valuable but more abundant fish species, reducing the pressure on species such as lobster or tuna, whose stocks are dwindling.
ABALOBI's technology is now being used by partner organizations in 12 other countries, including Chile, Madagascar, Croatia and Ireland. The startup was a finalist in last year's Earthshot Prize.
3D printed reefs
While overfishing has a direct impact on fish stocks, climate change is causing ocean warming and acidification, taking its toll on one of the ocean's most valuable habitats: coral reefs.
In the last thirty years half of the world's coral reefs have died and disappeared. Coastruction, a startup from Rotterdam, wants to bring them back to life through printing.
Founded by Nadia Fani, a computer scientist and entrepreneur from Italy, Coastruction has developed a method to create complex reef-like structures using 3D printing.
Coastruction uses a special 3D printer that deposits concrete layer by layer to create complex geometric shapes. The more complex the shape, the more nooks and crannies there are for marine life to cling to.
Through 3D printing, Coastruction can create virtually any shape. Image credit: Coastruction
Coastruction consults marine scientists to determine the most appropriate designs or materials for a particular underwater site. “We create artificial reefs that mimic real reefs as much as possible,” Fani tells me.
The 3D structures are then placed underwater on coastlines around the world, for example in the Maldives or Saudi Arabia. Over time, they become habitats for fish, new corals and algae. In sufficient numbers, they can also serve as a barrier to protect coastal cities from storms and erosion.
Coastruction is currently looking to expand. The company is building a new printing plant and is looking for further investments.
The startup's main target market is ecotourism, particularly private resorts that want to restore damaged reefs to attract more tourists. But it has also attracted interest from port authorities, offshore wind farms and governments.
Like all efforts to protect our oceans, Coastruction's technology is a drop in the ocean compared to the problem at hand. But together, such efforts could help turn the tide.
