Satellite surveillance

Plan, task and rapidly analyse satellite data to detect dark vessels providing greater situational awareness

Starboard is an intuitive web-based platform ideal for satellite surveillance in both fisheries and intelligence. We currently support governments, fisheries organisations, RFMOs and NGOs by bringing people and multiple sources of data together to improve collaboration.

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Planning satellite surveillance operations

The following case study comes from an example operation Starboard ran in the Tasman sea in May 2022; tasking satellites to look for non-reporting Fishing vessels–Operation 18c (Op18c).

Planning for satellite acquisitions through historical analysis of vessel movements

Longliner vessels are traditionally active in the Tasman Sea during May, however, their fishing patterns have shifted slightly each year.

Three years of fishing activity for the Japanese longliner fleet.

Watch: Three years of fishing activity for the Japanese longliner fleet

Validating fishing fleet behaviours by assessing oceanographic data

In the Tasman Sea, longliner vessels fish in the productive subtropical frontal zone and the sea surface temperature indicates the location of this front.

Sea surface temperature in Starboard.

Watch: Sea surface temperature in Starboard

Tasking satellites and adjusting footprints

Integrated analysis tools support satellite tasking

Measurement tools, .geojson overlays, oceanographic information and vessel movements all contribute to the final plans for tasking.

Managing coincident acquisitions for MDA synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and Unseenlabs radio frequency (RF) was supported with these tools during Operation 18c.

Adjusting acquisition footprints based on analysis.

Watch: Adjusting acquisition footprints based on analysis

New intelligence gathered can be used to adjust tasking

As an operation progresses and new information is gathered, tasking can be adjusted. This can be done at relatively short notice but the adjustment will depend on the satellite’s orbit.

During Operation 18c we adjusted our MDA Radarsat-2 acquisitions several times.

MDA Radarsat-2 collection footprint and orbit

MDA Radarsat-2 collection footprint and orbit

Analysis of satellite imagery and fusing data sources

Situational awareness is faster as fusion with multiple satellite sensors is automated

Detections are automatically matched to vessels reporting on the automatic identification system (AIS). Half of all Operation 18c detections were matched leaving around 50 as points of interest for investigation.

Finding AIS-dark vessels with SAR and RF.

Watch: Finding AIS-dark vessels with SAR and RF

Deeper intelligence pictures are enabled through the use of multiple sensor types

Operation 18c made use of coincident collections for both RF and SAR sensors. Detections in these acquisitions are compared improving confidence that a vessel has been located.

Analysis of coincident satellite collection.

Watch: Analysis of coincident satellite collection

Understand vessel detections in greater detail with speed estimation, exports and layer uploads

Dark vessel detections are difficult to fingerprint. During operation 18c, measurement tools were used to assess the feasibility of the same vessel being detected during multiple acquisitions.

It is also possible to use export tools and .geojson uploads to compare AIS, satellite detections and proprietary VMS data.

Using Starboard tools for extended analysis of vessel detections.

Watch: Using Starboard tools for extended analysis of vessel detections

Rich vessel records as additional data sources are made available to analysts

Starboard is continuing to ingest new sources of data and associate these with vessel records.

One of these sources is authorised vessel registers from regional fisheries management organisations (RFMO). During Operation 18c vessel registration information was used to understand a vessel’s behaviour and enhance the intelligence picture.

Using vessel registers for a fuller intelligence picture.

Watch: Using vessel registers for a fuller intelligence picture

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Learn more about Starboard for satellite surveillance.

“This has been really useful during fisheries operations because we’ve been able to confirm the locations of suspected vessel interactions and correlate this with reported transhipments and analyse other fishing activity. Using a combination of information in Starboard, like how long a vessel has been at sea and which other boats it has encountered, along with other information and gathered intelligence has given us another layer to how we assess risk and prioritise the boarding of vessels.”

— FFA Director of Fisheries Operations, Allan Rahari