Projects

Lost or discarded driftnets pose a potential threat to Alaska’s ecology and economy. It is necessary to determine what the risks are and develop strategies for locating and tracking these "GhostNets." Utilizing ATI's experience with airborne LIDAR and ambient light imaging in concert with satellite-based methods, the GhostNet Project Team is refining ways of identifying fishing debris in the open ocean. Once located, the team will utilize their data base of the North Pacific’s weather and currents to track the net as it drifts. This information will allow for its interception and retrieval.