Story 03 Mar, 2022

The Sargasso Sea Commission and IUCN explore use of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence for management and conservation of high seas ecosystems

IUCN is pleased to issue the final version of an Interim Report entitled "Governance of High Seas Ecosystems: Big Data and AI".  This report was produced by NLA International after conducting interviews with ocean experts and ocean users.

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Photo: Big Data and AI report - SSC IUCN

Big Data and AI report - SSC IUCN

The final report, expected later this year, will incorporate discussion from an expert webinar held on March 2, 2022. The interim report concludes that Big Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) do have an important role to play in ensuring good ocean governance by furthering understanding of human impacts on complex ocean ecosystems through near real-time situational awareness.  This, in turn, will underscore the case for the creation of good governance through improved ocean policy and enforcement as well as measuring the effectiveness of current and future policies. Challenges remain and need to be addressed, including the need for greater data sharing through fair data principles and the need for Big Data standardisation to enhance trust in data.