Our budget items are crucial for completing our project to enhance the Marine Monitor (M2) system and make it more affordable. The AXIS Q62 camera represents a fixed, one-time cost based on average quoted prices. We currently use a variety of cameras that can cost as much as $70k. Thus, a $5k camera could generate significant cost savings and allow many more MPA administrators to afford our system.

The development cost budget will fund networking, engineering, and software development by our in-house and contracted engineers. These funds will cover hardware and software modifications to integrate the AXIS Q62 camera seamlessly with M2.

Additionally, we hope to experiment with creating a loitering guard, a feature requested by several MPA organizations to detect and monitor individual poachers such as spear fishermen and coral harvesters. We hope this will enable MPAs to monitor individuals as well as vessels with M2.

Additional Information

Screenshot of track line: This is an example of M2 precisely recording a complex track line of a vessel. While all vessels' tracks detectable by radar and AIS are recorded, alarm zones such as the box with the red boundary can be created to automatically label a vessel as a potential violator. Text and email alerts can also be created to inform MPA administrators and law enforcement agents of a potential violation. While this screenshot is of Marine Monitor's live view and so this vessel will disappear once it leaves the area, a link to the historical viewer is included in the text and email alert so that MPA administrators can easily refer to potential violators at their earliest convenience. Other vessels are also observed in this busy section of San Francisco Bay. If the vessel has AIS turned on and either their MMSI or vessel name registered, that will be displayed. If the vessel has turned off AIS as is often the case of MPA violators, M2's radar can still detect them and photos can still be taken. These can be seen with the two digit radar targets (eg. #51).

Screenshot of photo and vessel information: This is an example of vessel information (course, location, and speed) obtainable by either radar or AIS and photo 5 of 6 of a fast-moving vessel around 5 miles away. Additional features of M2 include emailing the vessel track for future reference, labeling the vessel or writing notes through tags, uploading your own photo of the vessel, or tracking the boat in real-time. This is meant for law enforcement on the water who want updates on the vessel's location and coarse every 30 seconds to potentially intercept the vessel.

Additionally, our M2 Stations are designed with openness in mind, frequently open-sourced, and shared with a diverse range of stakeholders. Whether collaborating with MPA administrators, NOAA, or contributing to educational aquarium exhibits, we've always prioritize sharing our data whenever appropriate to foster transparency and enhance collective marine conservation efforts.

ProtectedSeas understands that MPA creation is only one component of marine conservation. As MPA borders are often undefined by geographic landmarks and rules regarding take can vary dramatically between even nearby MPAs, Navigator is instrumental to ensuring ignorance or confusion is not an excuse for non-compliance. Further, active enforcement is required to ensure an MPA is doing what it is intended and Marine Monitor (M2) has successfully aided MPAs around the world do exactly this. Hopefully, this grant will enable many more MPA administrators to increase their enforcement through M2.