Smarter monitoring for healthier oceans: How the GLOW team uses FishID

Monitoring marine and coastal ecosystems is essential for conservation, but traditional survey methods are time-consuming, costly, and difficult to scale. FishID.org is changing that. By using AI to automatically identify, count, and measure fish and other marine animals in underwater video footage, FishID enables researchers to collect high-quality data more efficiently and at much larger scales.

At the Global Wetlands Project (GLOW), we use FishID to monitor biodiversity in mangroves, seagrass meadows, and reefs (many of them restored habitats), and are rolling out these efforts across more than 20 countries. The technology allows us to track fish returning to restored areas, assess ecosystem recovery, and support sustainable fisheries. We’ve also expanded into above-water applications, such as tracking crab movement on muddy shores and using drone footage to automatically monitor human activity on beaches – helping us better understand how people interact with coastal environments.

📚 Learn more by exploring our publications on automated monitoring here: rodconnolly.com/automated-monitoring.html