Rating the effectiveness of fishery-regulated areas with AIS data

Abstract The currently existing Biological Protection Areas (BPAs) are Italian conservation measures specifically oriented to preserve/recover commercial fish stocks through the regulation or ban of few fishing activities. Although BPAs have been well identified/designed within the Italian national waters, neither data on their effects on fishery resources nor on the fishers’ compliance with these no-take regulations are yet available. In this context, the present study was aimed to investigate how AIS data processing could be used to map patterns in fishing activity within/around small regulated areas and rate the effectiveness of the conservation measures in place. To do this, it was impossible not to address the issue surrounding well-known and substantial gaps in data coverage and attempt an estimate of them by flagging events when AIS had been switched off within/around BPAs. Results highlighted that almost all the BPAs are illegally trawled and that, unless additional legislation is effected to regulate the use of AIS by fishing vessels, it may provide a useful source of information to map fishing activities stated that the data are interpreted in an appropriate way.