MIDDLETOWN, Calif. — The five candidates running for the District 1 supervisorial seat took part in a forum on Thursday night, held as part of the regular Middletown Area Town Hall meeting.
Bren Boyd, John Hess, Sean Millerick, Helen Owen and Bryan Pritchard spent more than an hour and a half answering questions about a wide range of community issues.
The forum was moderated by Lake County News Editor and Publisher Elizabeth Larson, with MATH Chair Monica Rosenthal conducting the timekeeping and Thomas DeWalt of PEG TV filming and recording the event.
The full video can be seen above.
The five candidates will meet for another forum at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — As the region continues to be hit with freezing temperatures, forecasters are expecting more rain this week and the potential for another storm system next week.
AccuWeather reported that the low temperatures this week are the result of the coldest air of the season dropping down from Canada.
The National Weather Service said that daytime temperatures will hover in the mid-40s to low 50s this week, while at night conditions will drop into the high 30s and low 40s throughout much of the county.
Exceptions are in areas like Cobb and north of Upper Lake, where nighttime temperatures will fall into the high 20s and low 30s.
Beginning later this week, the National Weather Service said another storm system will arrive, bringing with it “significantly more” rain, ranging between 3 to 6 inches along the North Coast and snow above the 3,000 foot elevation mark.
Rainy conditions are forecast to continue through the middle of next week.
The forecast also includes windy conditions through the weekend, with winds of more than 15 miles per hour and gusts of more than 20 miles per hour possible.
The National Weather Service estimates most of Lake County will receive between a half an inch and an inch of rain on Friday and Saturday, while the mountains north of Upper Lake could have as much as 3 inches of rain during that time frame.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday directed county staff to begin the process of recruiting for new leadership for the Water Resources and Public Works departments, which are once again proposed to be split up.
The decision comes as Scott De Leon, Public Works’ longtime director who also heads Water Resources, is planning to retire June 30.
De Leon became Lake County Water Resources director in 2010, and in May 2011 was appointed by the Board of Supervisors as Public Works director. The two departments since then have been joined and separated numerous times, usually as a result of staffing changes.
De Leon said it will be challenging to recruit an individual to be Public Works director, much less one who also has the experience with water resources issues.
That’s why he is recommending the departments be separated and led by two directors.
At the same time, he suggested keeping the Public Works Department’s administrative division in place to provide clerical and fiscal oversight of both departments.
That administrative division, which De Leon said he created after former Water Resources Director David Cowan left in the summer of 2019, has 13 full-time employees allocated, Assistant County Administrative Officer Steve Carter said during the discussion.
De Leon said that the Public Works administrative division is the strongest it’s been in 25 years, and is a “well-oiled machine” with a succession plan in place. To split it to create two separate departments would be detrimental, he added.
Until late last year, Marina Deligiannis had been the deputy director for Water Resources. De Leon said she handled the day-to-day operations of Water Resources; she also had worked on the Middle Creek Restoration Project.
However, she left to take a job out of county and De Leon said that position will now be “upgraded.”
Human Resources Director Pam Samac said the county could begin recruiting as soon as they have salary guidelines. She said she would work with Carter on that question, adding that they need to create a salary to draw the right kind of candidates.
De Leon urged them not to reduce the salary. “You’re going to have a hard enough time recruiting.”
Lake County Human Resources’ webpages do not list the Water Resources director or its annual salary range, but the Water Resources deputy director has a range of $94,812 to $115,248, while the Public Works director’s annual salary is $140,748 to $171,084.
Public Works and Water Resources together have a large number of projects going at any one time, as De Leon acknowledged.
During the meeting, Lake County News asked if De Leon’s succession planning addressed how to handle key projects in the transition.
In addition to the Middle Creek Restoration Project, among those of special concern Lake County News asked about is the long-running project to stop the hillside collapse that has closed Hill Road East near the Lakeside Heights subdivision almost annually since 2013.
There is also the work to find the best alternative to improving the condition of the Middle Creek and Clover Creek diversion levees near Upper Lake, which the studies to date have shown have the potential to fail due to their current condition, which could lead to catastrophic flooding.
Then there is the countywide pavement rehabilitation plan which De Leon presented to the board in April of 2022, which proposed $84 million in road work over five years. That was later changed to 10 years.
De Leon told the board during the initial 2023-24 budget hearings in June that his department planned to deliver a big initial road project in this fiscal year.
Gas tax will be part of the funding mix, but De Leon said at that time that the board needed to think of sales taxes, bonds and other types of funding options because Public Works doesn’t have a confirmed funding source for the pavement rehabilitation project after the first year. Without additional funding sources, De Leon said it will take more than 10 years to do the work.
In response to Lake County News’ questions about those project continuity issues, Board Chair Bruno Sabatier said it will be a “delicate process” to make sure there is a handoff between leadership.
Sabatier added that the board is responsible for ensuring those projects continue and don’t slip through the cracks.
De Leon said Public Works recently entered into a contract with Coastland Engineering for staff augmentation for the inspection and engineering division.
“I don’t have any intentions of just walking away and leaving things without anyone to handle them and just leaving everyone with a bunch of unfinished projects,” De Leon said. “I plan to assist in any way I can with that transition.”
The board reached consensus to split the departments’ leadership, but not the administrative division, as De Leon suggested, and to have Human Resources quickly begin the recruitment process.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. — Adventist Health Clear Lake said it has welcomed its first baby of 2024.
Born on Jan. 4, at 1:49 a.m., Aitana, weighing a healthy 6 pounds, 11 ounces, brings immense joy to her proud parents, Maribel and Cesar, the hospital reported.
The hospital said the delivery “marked a momentous start to the new year,” with the dedicated team at Adventist Health Clear Lake sharing in the excitement.
Maribel and Cesar were presented with a beautifully adorned bassinet, generously filled with thoughtful gifts, as a token of congratulations on the birth of their precious daughter.
Surrounded by well-wishers, Aitana's grand entrance into the world was met with warm greetings and heartfelt congratulations.
“The atmosphere was filled with joy as our team celebrated this extraordinary moment with the family,” the hospital said in its announcement.
“As Adventist Health Clear Lake embraces the significance of each new life, we extend our sincere wishes to Maribel, Cesar, and baby Aitana for a future filled with boundless love and happiness. We are honored to have played a part in this special occasion and look forward to supporting the health and well-being of Aitana and her family in the years to come,” the hospital reported.
Lake County’s first baby of the year was born on Jan. 1 at Sutter Lakeside Hospital.
Jaylin Mora-Rivera was born at 10:26 p.m. Monday, Jan. 1, to proud parents Janette Rivera and Gustavo Mora Cueras, as Lake County News has reported.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Clearlake Oaks County Water District has issued a boil water notice for some of its customers following a water main leak that occurred earlier this week.
The district said the leak occurred on Monday.
As a result, the State Water Resources Control Board, the Lake County Health Department and the water district advised residents who live at 14278 and 14288 McBride Court, and all addresses on Morine Way, Morine Ranch Road, Tomalee Lane and Lee Court to only use boiled tap water or bottled water for drinking and cooking purposes as a safety precaution to avoid stomach or intestinal illness.
The district said it anticipated resolving the matter within five business days and would inform impacted residents about when their water is safe to drink and no longer needs to be boiled.
Residents in the impacted neighborhoods are instructed to boil all water — at a rolling boil — for one minute and let it cool before using for drinking, brushing teeth and food preparation.
For those unable to boil water, it’s recommended that they use household unscented liquid bleach, using eight drops or ⅛ of a teaspoon of bleach per gallon of water.
For cloudy water, filter it through a clean cloth and use 16 drops, of a quarter of a teaspoon of bleach per gallon of water. Then mix well and let stand for 30 minutes.
Water treated in this manner may taste or smell like chlorine, which means disinfection has occurred.
For those using water disinfection tabs, they should follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
For more information, call the Clearlake Oaks County Water District at 707-998-3322.
LAKEPORT, Calif. — Four people were injured, one of them seriously, during a Sunday vehicle crash.
The wreck occurred on Highway 29 near Highland Springs Road, said Sgt. Joel Skeen of the California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake office.
Skeen said Jennifer Taylor was driving a 2017 Ford Fusion northbound on Highway 29, approaching Highland Springs Road, as George Kieffer was driving his 2005 Ford F-250 westbound in that same area.
He said both vehicles entered the intersection and hit in a broadside collision.
A passenger in the Ford Fusion sustained major injuries and was flown to UC Davis Medical Center, Skeen said.
Both Taylor and Kieffer, as well as a passenger riding with Kieffer, sustained minor injuries and were transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital, Skeen said.
Skeen said all of the vehicles’ occupants were wearing seat belts and no drugs or alcohol were suspected.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
When teaching about the Spanish Mission and Gold Rush Eras, California public schools would be required to teach the true history of the impact on California Native Americans during those periods if AB 1821, is approved.
Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino), the first California Native American elected to the legislature, introduced the measure on Thursday.
“This bill builds upon my previous legislation, the California Indian Education Act, approved in 2022,” Ramos said. “For far too long California’s First People and their history have been ignored or misrepresented. Classroom instruction about the Mission and Gold Rush periods fails to include the loss of life, enslavement, starvation, illness and violence inflicted upon California Native American people during those times. These historical omissions from the curriculum are misleading. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this bill and get it to the governor’s desk.”
Late last year, a poll released by the Institute of Governmental Studies showed strong support to require California schools to incorporate teaching about Native American tribes’ history and culture. An overwhelming 80% of respondents were in support of a requirement such as AB 1821.
In 2022, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 1703 — the California Indian Education Act — into law. It encourages local educational agencies to create California Indian Education Task Forces to develop curriculum about the history and culture of tribes native or residing in their region. Although AB 1703 was a significant step toward inclusion of native voices, it stopped short of requiring the change in curriculum. AB 1821 would take that extra step.
AB 1821 is sponsored by the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians.
The bill’s main authors are Assemblymembers Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella) and Devon Mathis (R-Porterville). Assemblymembers Dr. Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno), Eloise Gomez Reyes (D-San Bernardino), and Luz Rivas (D-Arleta) and Sen. Bob Archuelta (D-Pico Rivera) are co-authors.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday introduced his 2024-25 state budget proposal, which he said is a balanced funding plan that maintains the state’s fiscal stability while preserving key investments for education, public safety, addressing homelessness, mental health care reform, climate action and other priorities.
Newsom’s office said he used some of the “unprecedented budget reserves built up over the years” along with other tools to “responsibly” close a projected $37.86 billion shortfall.
Recognizing increased uncertainty due to a decline in the stock market and federal tax deadline delays, the 2023-24 state budget passed in June set aside record reserves of close to $38 billion to prepare for a potential shortfall.
Despite the downward revision, 2022-23 revenues are estimated to still be 23% higher than pre-pandemic levels. California's GDP remained strong in 2023, and the state’s big three revenues are projected to return to levels consistent with a normal revenue growth trajectory.
“Thanks to the record reserves we have built up and a commitment to fiscal discipline over the years, our state is in a strong position to close this shortfall while protecting key priorities and programs that millions of Californians rely on,” Newsom said. “This balanced budget plan keeps California on firm economic footing while continuing our work to tackle homelessness, keep communities safe, expand access to high-quality education, overhaul behavioral health care and fight climate change. I look forward to partnering with the Legislature to meet this moment with a balanced approach that meets the needs of Californians and safeguards our state’s future.”
Even after the proposed withdrawals, this budget plan reflects $18.4 billion in total budgetary reserves, including $11.1 billion in the Rainy Day Fund.
In addition to addressing the budget shortfall through a balanced package of solutions that avoids deep program cuts, the January budget proposal maintains investments in several of Newsom’s priority issues, including:
TACKLING HOMELESSNESS. Gov. Newsom has advanced a multi-year $15.3 billion plan to address homelessness — more than ever before in state history. This budget proposal maintains billions of dollars for an all-of-the-above approach including $400 million for encampment resolution grants and $1 billion for Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention program grants.
KEEPING CALIFORNIANS SAFE. The budget invests $1.1 billion over four years to increase the safety and security of our communities, including $373.5 million to combat organized retail theft; over $230 million for opioid and fentanyl interdiction and enforcement, naloxone distribution, recovery and support services and more; $302 million to enhance community public safety through nonprofit security grants, officer training and more; and $197 million to tackle gun violence.
TRANSFORMING EDUCATION. The budget maintains investments that are critical to improving supports for students, including funding for community schools, universal school meals, expanded learning opportunities, education workforce, and continued implementation of universal transitional kindergarten. Proposition 98 funding for K-12 schools and community colleges is estimated to be $109.1 billion in 2024-25 and per-pupil funding totals $23,519 per pupil when accounting for all funding sources.
MENTAL HEALTH REFORM. California has advanced a major transformation of the state’s behavioral health services system. This budget includes funding to make wellness coaches available to support children and youth behavioral health and maintains $7.6 billion from various funds to implement the Behavioral Health Community-Based Organized Networks of Equitable Care and Treatment (BH-CONNECT) demonstration.
CALIFORNIA’S CLIMATE COMMITMENT. California is advancing a $48.3 billion multi-year commitment, alongside over $10 billion from the Biden-Harris Administration in federal climate funding, to implement its nation-leading initiatives to slash pollution and achieve carbon neutrality by 2045, protect communities from harmful climate impacts, deliver 90% clean electricity by 2035, hold big oil accountable, and more.
Additional details on the January budget proposal can be found at www.ebudget.ca.gov.
Gov. Gavin Newsom is calling for new legislation expanding criminal penalties, bolstering police and prosecutor tools to combat theft and take down professional criminals who profit from smash and grabs, retail theft, and car burglaries.
The governor’s legislative framework calls for the creation of new laws and expanding criminal penalties to crack down on professional thieves — those who profit from stealing goods for resale — bolstering law enforcement’s ability to arrest suspects, creating a new crime addressing organized auto burglary committed to resell stolen property, eliminating the sunset provision for the organized retail crime statute, and exploring increased penalties for high-volume resellers of stolen goods.
“Building on California’s existing laws and record public safety investments, I’m calling for new legislation to expand criminal penalties for those profiting on retail theft and auto burglaries. These laws will make California safer and bolster police and prosecutor tools to arrest and hold professional criminals accountable,” Newsom said.
Proposals within the framework include:
1) CRACKING DOWN ON PROFESSIONAL THIEVES: Creates new penalties targeting those engaged in retail theft to resell, and those that resell the stolen property — increasing felony penalties and prison time.
2) INCREASING ENFORCEMENT TOOLS: Bolsters existing law to ensure police can arrest suspects of retail theft, even if they didn't witness a crime in progress.
3) AGGREGATING THEFT AMOUNTS: Clarifies that the penal code allows law enforcement to combine the value of multiple thefts — even across different victims — to reach the threshold for grand theft.
4) FIGHTING AUTO BURGLARY: Creates new penalties for professional auto burglary, increasing penalties for the possession of items stolen from a vehicle with intent to resell, regardless of whether the vehicle was locked.
5) ELIMINATING ORC SUNSET PROVISION: Eliminates the sunset date for the organized retail crime statute. The law, which has been effectively used by CHP and others in the Organized Retail Crime Task Force, is set to expire on January 1, 2026.
6) INCREASING PENALTIES FOR RESELLERS: Explores strengthening the law to increase penalties for large-scale resellers of stolen goods.
The Tuesday announcement builds on the Governor’s Real Public Safety Plan — which focuses on strengthening local law enforcement response, ensuring perpetrators are held accountable, and getting guns and drugs off our streets.
In 2023, the governor announced the largest-ever investment to combat organized retail crime in California history, an annual 310% increase in proactive operations targeting organized retail crime, and special operations across the state to fight crime and improve public safety.
Since 2019, the state has invested $1.1 billion to fight crime and improve public safety.
California law provides existing robust tools for law enforcement and prosecutors to arrest and charge suspects involved in organized retail crime — including up to three years of jail time for organized retail theft.
The state has the 10th lowest threshold nationally for prosecutors to charge suspects with a felony, $950. Forty other states — including Texas ($2,500), Alabama ($1,500), and Mississippi ($1,000) — require higher dollar amounts for suspects to be charged with a felony.
“California is safer when law enforcement and prosecutors have more tools to arrest suspects and hold them accountable. This framework will close loopholes criminals have exploited and increase felony penalties for smash and grabs, retail theft, and auto burglaries. I look forward to working with the governor and the Legislature to get this done,” said President of the California State Sheriffs’ Association Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux.
“Organized retail theft is a serious crime that not only costs businesses, retailers, and consumers, but puts workers and the public at risk,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “The California Department of Justice is committed to tackling these crimes head-on. We appreciate the Governor's leadership, and will continue working with his office and our legislative partners to eradicate organized retail crime.”
“While we must always create pathways for restorative justice and redemption, we must also hold people accountable as they violate the rights of others. With the epidemic of retail theft and robberies in our communities, we must provide prosecutors the necessary tools to address a plague of lawlessness that is threatening our very way of life,” said Senate Public Safety Chair Senator Aisha Wahab.
The U.S. set an unwelcome record for weather and climate disasters in 2023, with 28 disasters that exceeded more than US$1 billion in damage each.
While it wasn’t the most expensive year overall – the costliest years included multiple hurricane strikes – it had the highest number of billion-dollar storms, floods, droughts and fires of any year since counting began in 1980, with six more than any other year, accounting for inflation.
The year’s most expensive disaster started with an unprecedented heat wave that sat over Texas for weeks over the summer and then spread into the South and Midwest, helping fuel a destructive drought. The extreme heat and lack of rain dried up fields, forced ranchers to sell off livestock and restricted commerce on the Mississippi River, causing about US$14.5 billion in damage, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s conservative estimates.
Extreme dryness in Hawaii contributed to another multi-billion-dollar disaster as it fueled devastating wildfires that destroyed Lahaina, Hawaii, in August.
Other billion-dollar disasters included Hurricane Idalia, which hit Florida in August; floods in the Northeast and California; and nearly two dozen other severe storms across the country. States in a swath from Texas to Ohio were hit by multiple billion-dollar storms.
I am an atmospheric scientist who studies the changing climate. Here’s a quick look at what global warming has to do with wildfires, storms and other weather and climate disasters.
Dangerous heat waves and devastating wildfires
When greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide from vehicles and power plants, accumulate in the atmosphere, they act like a thermal blanket that warms the planet.
These gases let in high-energy solar radiation while absorbing outgoing low-energy radiation in the form of heat from the Earth. The energy imbalance at the Earth’s surface gradually increases the surface temperature of the land and oceans.
The most direct consequence of this warming is more days with abnormally high temperatures, as large parts of the country saw in 2023.
Phoenix went 30 days with daily high temperatures at 110 F (43.3 C) or higher and recorded its highest minimum nighttime temperature, with temperatures on July 19 never falling below 97 F (36.1 C).
Although heat waves result from weather fluctuations, global warming has raised the baseline, making heat waves more frequent, more intense and longer-lasting.
That heat also fuels wildfires.
Increased evaporation removes more moisture from the ground, drying out soil, grasses and other organic material, which creates favorable conditions for wildfires. All it takes is a lightning strike or spark from a power line to start a blaze.
How global warming fuels extreme storms
As more heat is stored as energy in the atmosphere and oceans, it doesn’t just increase the temperature – it can also increase the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere.
When that water vapor condenses to liquid and falls as rain, it releases a large amount of energy. This is called latent heat, and it is the main fuel for all storm systems. When temperatures are higher and the atmosphere has more moisture, that additional energy can fuel stronger, longer-lasting storms.
Tropical storms are similarly fueled by latent heat coming from warm ocean water. That is why they only form when the sea surface temperature reaches a critical level of around 80 F (27 C).
It might seem counterintuitive, but global warming can also contribute to cold snaps in the U.S. That’s because it alters the general circulation of Earth’s atmosphere.
The Earth’s atmosphere is constantly moving in large-scale circulation patterns in the forms of near-surface wind belts, such as the trade winds, and upper-level jet streams. These patterns are caused by the temperature difference between the polar and equatorial regions.
As the Earth warms, the polar regions are heating up more than twice as fast as the equator. This can shift weather patterns, leading to extreme events in unexpected places. Anyone who has experienced a “polar vortex event” knows how it feels when the jet stream dips southward, bringing frigid Arctic air and winter storms, despite the generally warmer winters.
In sum, a warmer world is a more violent world, with the additional heat fueling increasingly more extreme weather events.
State Controller Malia M. Cohen on Wednesday released her monthly Cash Report which tracks the state’s revenues, disbursements and actual cash balance.
“While December’s cash position fell short of Department of Finance Budget Act cash flow estimates for the month by $3 billion, the state still has a strong $88.5 billion in available borrowable resources. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, California still has ample cash in its coffers to pay its bills and meet its financial obligations through the end of the fiscal year,” Cohen said.
“The Legislature and Governor have a difficult task ahead to bring revenues and spending into balance in the year ahead. However, their forethought in building rainy-day reserves in the Budget Stabilization Account has bolstered the state’s cash-on-hand and provided stability in the face of a budgetary deficit,” she added.
December saw California’s total General Fund receipts fall $5.2 billion — or 21.4% — short of estimates for the month, while disbursements were $2.3 billion — or 10.1% lower than estimated.
The state is 22.2% behind forecasts for the fiscal year to date with general fund receipts, $28.2 billion below estimates.
Disbursements were $5.1 billion lower than expected, and 4.2 percent behind estimates for the first six months of the fiscal year.
As the chief fiscal officer of California, Controller Cohen is responsible for accountability and disbursement of the state’s financial resources. The controller has independent auditing authority over government agencies that spend state funds.
She is a member of numerous financing authorities, and fiscal and financial oversight entities including the Franchise Tax Board. She also serves on the boards for the nation’s two largest public pension funds.
Humans are racing to harness the ocean’s vast potential to power global economic growth. Worldwide, ocean-based industries such as fishing, shipping and energy production generate at least US$1.5 trillion in economic activity each year and support 31 million jobs. This value has been increasing exponentially over the past 50 years and is expected to double by 2030.
Transparency in monitoring this “blue acceleration” is crucial to prevent environmental degradation, overexploitation of fisheries and marine resources, and lawless behavior such as illegal fishing and human trafficking. Open information also will make countries better able to manage vital ocean resources effectively. But the sheer size of the ocean has made tracking industrial activities at a broad scale impractical – until now.
A newly published study in the journal Nature combines satellite images, vessel GPS data and artificial intelligence to reveal human industrial activities across the ocean over a five-year period. Researchers at Global Fishing Watch, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing ocean governance through increased transparency of human activity at sea, led this study, in collaboration with me and our colleagues at Duke University, University of California, Santa Barbara and SkyTruth.
We found that a remarkable amount of activity occurs outside of public monitoring systems. Our new map and data provide the most comprehensive public picture available of industrial uses of the ocean.
Operating in the dark
Our research builds on existing technology to provide a much more complete picture than has been available until now.
For example, many vessels carry a device called an automatic identification system, or AIS, that automatically broadcasts the vessel’s identity, position, course and speed. These devices communicate with other AIS devices nearby to improve situational awareness and reduce the chances of vessel collisions at sea. They also transmit to shore-based transponders and satellites, which can be used to monitor vessel traffic and fishing activity.
However, AIS systems have blind spots. Not all vessels are required to use them, certain regions have poor AIS reception, and vessels engaged in illegal activities may disable AIS devices or tamper with location broadcasts. To avoid these problems, some governments require fishing vessels to use proprietary vessel monitoring systems, but the associated vessel location data is usually confidential.
Some offshore structures, such as oil platforms and wind turbines, also use AIS to guide service vessels, monitor nearby vessel traffic and improve navigational safety. However, location data for offshore structures are often incomplete, outdated or kept confidential for bureaucratic or commercial reasons.
Shining a light on activity at sea
We filled these gaps by using artificial intelligence models to identify fishing vessels, nonfishing vessels and fixed infrastructure in 2 million gigabytes of satellite-based radar images and optical images taken across the ocean between 2017 and 2021. We also matched these results to 53 billion AIS vessel position reports to determine which vessels were publicly trackable at the time of the image.
Remarkably, we found that about 75% of the fishing vessels we detected were missing from public AIS monitoring systems, with much of that activity taking place around Africa and South Asia. These previously invisible vessels radically changed our knowledge about the scale, scope and location of fishing activity.
For example, public AIS data wrongly suggests that Asia and Europe have comparable amounts of fishing within their borders. Our mapping reveals that Asia dominates: For every 10 fishing vessels we found on the water, seven were in Asia while only one was in Europe. Similarly, AIS data shows about 10 times more fishing on the European side of the Mediterranean compared with the African side – but our map shows that fishing activity is roughly equal across the two areas.
For other vessels, which are mostly transport- and energy-related, about 25% were missing from public AIS monitoring systems. Many missing vessels were in locations with poor AIS reception, so it is possible that they broadcast their locations but satellites did not pick up the transmission.
We also identified about 28,000 offshore structures – mostly oil platforms and wind turbines, but also piers, bridges, power lines, aquaculture farms and other human-made structures. Offshore oil infrastructure grew modestly over the five-year period, while the number of wind turbines more than doubled globally, with development mostly confined to northern Europe and China. We estimate that the number of wind turbines in the ocean likely surpassed the number of oil structures by the end of 2020.
Supporting real-world efforts
This data is freely available through the Global Fishing Watch data portal and will be maintained, updated and expanded over time there. We anticipate several areas where the information will be most useful for on-the-ground monitoring:
– Fishing in data-poor regions: Shipboard monitoring systems are too expensive to deploy widely in many places. Fishery managers in developing countries can use our data to monitor pressure on local stocks.
– Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing: Industrial fishing vessels sometimes operate in places where they should not be, such as small-scale and traditional fishing grounds and marine protected areas. Our data can help enforcement agencies identify illegal activities and target patrol efforts.
– Sanction-busting trade: Our data can shed light on maritime activities that may breach international economic sanctions. For example, United Nations sanctions prohibit North Korea from exporting seafood products or selling its fishing rights to other countries. Previous work found more than 900 undisclosed fishing vessels of Chinese origin in the eastern waters of North Korea, in violation of U.N. sanctions.
We found that the western waters of North Korea had far more undisclosed fishing, likely also of foreign origin. This previously unmapped activity peaked each year in May, when China bans fishing in its own waters, and abruptly fell in 2020 when North Korea closed its borders because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
– Climate change mitigation and adaptation: Our data can help quantify the scale of greenhouse gas emissions from vessel traffic and offshore energy development. This information is important for enforcing climate change mitigation programs, such as the European Union’s emissions trading scheme.
– Offshore energy impacts: Our map shows not only where offshore energy development is happening but also how vessel traffic interacts with wind turbines and oil and gas platforms. This information can shed light on the environmental footprint of building, maintaining and using these structures. It can also help to pinpoint sources of oil spills and other marine pollution.
Healthy oceans underpin human well-being in a myriad of ways. We expect that this research will support evidence-based decision-making and help to make ocean management more fair, effective and sustainable.
Fernando Paolo, senior machine learning engineer at Global Fishing Watch; David Kroodsma, director of research and innovation at Global Fishing Watch; and Patrick Halpin, Professor of Marine Geospatial Ecology at Duke University, contributed to this article.