Real-Time Fishing Detection Powers Rapid Satellite Tasking

Challenge

To assess the speed and effectiveness of Skylight’s new Fishing Events feature, the team aimed to confirm whether near-real-time detections could automatically trigger high-resolution satellite imagery collection. The goal was to demonstrate that behavioral analytics could cue imagery fast enough to support timely monitoring of active fishing grounds.

Our Approach

The team used Skylight’s AI-powered Fishing Events—behavior-based detections generated from vessel movement patterns—to automatically cue the collection of high-resolution satellite imagery. When a vessel was flagged as likely engaged in fishing, the system triggered a satellite tasking over that location. The goal was to evaluate how well this detection-to-imagery workflow could generate timely, actionable visuals to support analysis and enforcement.

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What We Found

Skylight successfully detected likely fishing behavior and triggered high-resolution satellite imagery collection within hours. The image captured squid jigging vessels in a known fishing area. While the featured vessel was transiting when imaged, its extended side arms—used for jigging—visibly identified it as part of an active fishing operation. The result demonstrated that Fishing Events can effectively guide rapid satellite tasking over areas of interest.

Outcome

This result confirmed that Skylight’s Fishing Events can reliably guide satellite tasking to areas of interest. By integrating behavior-based detection with automated imagery collection, the system gives analysts a powerful way to monitor active fishing grounds and visually confirm activity, enhancing awareness and enabling more focused monitoring.