Analysis of Fishing with Led Lights in and around MPA and No Take Zones at Natuna Indonesia through VMS and VIIRS Data

Abstract

Protected Areas (MPA) and No Take Zones are an effective tool for marine ecosystem preservation. Indonesia requires fishing vessels larger than 30 gross tons to use a Vessel Monitoring System (VMS). Another way to detect fisheries is through Visible Infrared Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) data. To compare VMS and VIIRS data, an R package, “LLFI” (Led Light Fisheries Identifier) was created. This package provides several R-functions that can calculate the location of VMS using vessels at the overpass time of the VIIRS satellite. An MPA near the Natuna archipelago was chosen as the research area. VMS and VIIRS data for the entire year of 2018 were obtained for this Region of Interest. The R function “vms2viirs” calculated activity for small purse seine fisheries all through the ROI and for bouke ami fisheries in the southwestern part of the ROI. The R Function “vms2viirsanalysis” created three buffers around detected fishing vessels by the VIIRS satellite and linked the closest found vessels from the VMS dataset. The amount of identified vessels for Class C was significantly higher than those for class A and B. Approximately 10% of all detected led lights could be identified with a shipping number from the VMS data set. Only around 8% of identified vessels could be found inside MPA and around 3% could be found in a No Take Zone. Paths of identified vessels that some vessels did cross MPA's and No Take Zones. It can be concluded that the LLFI package is working successfully.