Illegal fishing is a big problem all over the world. About 20% of all fish caught are from illegal or unregulated fishing. This hurts the environment and leads to overfishing, where too many fish are caught and it’s not sustainable. To fight against this, organizations like Global Fishing Watch are using artificial intelligence (AI) and satellite pictures to keep an eye on commercial fishing boats. They use AI to analyze data from the boats’ automatic identification systems (AIS) and satellite pictures to find out which boats are doing illegal fishing.

Global Fishing Watch’s AI software looks at lots of satellite pictures to find boats and offshore structures. It then checks this information with AIS data that anyone can see to find boats that aren’t telling people where they are. The AI looks at things like how big the boat is, where it is, how many other boats are around, and the environment to figure out if a boat is probably fishing illegally. This technology has shown that three-quarters of the world’s big fishing boats aren’t telling people where they are, especially in places like Africa and South Asia. They’re working on getting better pictures to find smaller fishing boats.

Besides using AI, there are other cool ideas to stop illegal fishing. For example, the University of Southampton and RS Aqua are working on a robot that can go underwater and use AI to listen for fishing sounds. This robot would send real-time information about fishing, especially in protected areas, to the authorities so they can do something about it. Right now, less than half of the protected areas in the world are fully protected from fishing, and the robot wants to help fix that by giving the authorities the right information.

Using AI and other new technologies is a good way to help stop illegal fishing, but it’s not just up to the authorities and technology. We can all make a difference by making smart choices and supporting efforts to stop illegal fishing. By learning about the problem and choosing seafood that’s caught in a sustainable way, we can help protect the environment and make sure fishing can keep going for a long time.

Original news source: How AI is being used to prevent illegal fishing (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Have each group read the article together and then summarize the main points in their own words. They can take turns sharing their summaries with the rest of the class.

– Keyword Taboo
Instructions: Write down a list of key words from the article on flashcards. Divide the class into two teams. One person from each team will come to the front of the class. Without saying the keyword, they must try to describe it to their team using synonyms or explanations. The team that guesses the keyword correctly gets a point. Continue until all the keywords have been used.

– Opinion Spectrum
Instructions: Create a spectrum on one side of the classroom, with “Strongly Agree” on one end and “Strongly Disagree” on the other end. Read out statements related to the article, such as “Using AI to stop illegal fishing is an effective solution.” Have students stand at the point on the spectrum that represents their opinion on the statement. Allow students to explain their reasoning if they wish.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: As a class, brainstorm different ways individuals can help stop illegal fishing. Then, have students pair up and discuss their ideas with their partner. After a few minutes, come back together as a class and have some pairs share their ideas with the rest of the class.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: In small groups, have students discuss and make predictions about the future of illegal fishing and efforts to stop it. What do they think will happen in the next 10 years? After discussing, have each group share their predictions with the rest of the class.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What percentage of all fish caught is from illegal or unregulated fishing?
2. How does overfishing harm the environment?
3. What do organizations like Global Fishing Watch use AI and satellite pictures for?
4. How does Global Fishing Watch’s AI software find boats that are fishing illegally?
5. What has the technology shown about the world’s big fishing boats?
6. What are some other ideas, besides AI, to stop illegal fishing?
7. What is the robot being developed by the University of Southampton and RS Aqua able to do?
8. How can individuals make a difference in stopping illegal fishing?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Illegal fishing is a big problem all over the world. About 20% of all fish caught are from illegal or unregulated fishing. This (1)______ the environment and leads to (2)______, where too many fish are caught and it’s not sustainable. To fight against this, organizations like Global Fishing Watch are using artificial intelligence (AI) and (3)______ pictures to keep an eye on commercial fishing boats. They use AI to analyze data from the boats’ automatic (4)______ systems (AIS) and satellite pictures to find out which boats are doing illegal fishing.

Global (5)______ Watch’s AI software looks at lots of satellite (6)______ to find boats and offshore structures. It then checks this information with AIS data that anyone can see to find boats that aren’t telling people where they are. The AI looks at (7)______ like how big the boat is, where it is, how many other boats are around, and the environment to figure out if a boat is probably fishing illegally. This (8)______ has shown that three-quarters of the world’s big fishing boats aren’t telling people where they are, especially in places like Africa and South Asia. They’re working on (9)______ better pictures to find smaller fishing boats.

Besides using AI, there are (10)______ cool ideas to stop illegal fishing. For example, the (11)______ of Southampton and RS Aqua are working on a robot that can go underwater and use AI to listen for fishing sounds. This robot would send real-time information about fishing, especially in protected areas, to the (12)______ so they can do something about it. Right now, less than half of the protected areas in the world are fully protected from (13)______, and the robot (14)______ to help fix that by giving the authorities the right information.

(15)______ AI and other new technologies is a good way to help stop illegal fishing, but it’s not just up to the authorities and technology. We can all make a difference by making smart choices and supporting efforts to stop illegal fishing. By learning about the problem and (16)______ seafood that’s caught in a sustainable way, we can help protect the environment and make sure fishing can keep going for a long time.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is illegal fishing and why is it a problem?
2. How do organizations like Global Fishing Watch use artificial intelligence and satellite pictures to combat illegal fishing?
3. Do you think it’s important to protect the environment from overfishing? Why or why not?
4. How do you think AI technology can help in identifying boats that are fishing illegally?
5. What are some factors that the AI software looks at to determine if a boat is fishing illegally?
6. Why do you think many big fishing boats aren’t telling people where they are?
7. How do you feel about the idea of using underwater robots with AI to listen for fishing sounds and report illegal fishing activities?
8. Why do you think less than half of the protected areas in the world are fully protected from fishing?
9. Do you think using AI and new technologies is an effective way to combat illegal fishing? Why or why not?
10. How can individuals make a difference in stopping illegal fishing?
11. Have you ever made a conscious choice to support sustainable fishing practices? If so, why? If not, why not?
12. How would you feel if you found out that the seafood you were eating was caught through illegal fishing practices?
13. Do you think it’s important for everyone to learn about the problem of illegal fishing? Why or why not?
14. How do you think supporting efforts to stop illegal fishing can benefit the environment and future generations?
15. Why do you think it’s important to ensure that fishing can continue for a long time?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. sustainable
2. artificial intelligence
3. satellite
4. commercial
5. analyze
6. automatic
7. offshore
8. authorities
9. real-time
10. protected
11. environment
12. technology
13. seafood
14. efforts
15. sustainable (used in a different context)

Meanings:
(A) To examine something carefully in detail in order to understand it better or discover more about it
(B) The use of computers and machines to mimic the problem-solving and decision-making capabilities of the human mind
(C) Able to be maintained or kept going over the long term
(D) Capable of being continued with minimal long-term effect on the environment
(E) Guarded from danger or harm
(F) Located at sea some distance from the shore
(G) The application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry
(H) Actions directed towards achieving a goal
(I) Happening or done without manual operation because of pre-set programming
(J) Related to the buying and selling of goods and services
(K) An object placed in orbit around the earth to collect information or for communication
(L) The natural world including all living things and the places where they live
(M) Food that comes from the ocean, like fish or shellfish
(N) Information delivered immediately after collection, without delay
(O) People or organizations that have the power to enforce laws or make decisions
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What percentage of all fish caught are from illegal or unregulated fishing?
(a) 50%
(b) 10%
(c) 30%
(d) 20%

2. What is the purpose of using artificial intelligence (AI) and satellite pictures in the fight against illegal fishing?
(a) To track the migration patterns of fish
(b) To keep an eye on commercial fishing boats
(c) To improve the taste of seafood
(d) To promote sustainable fishing practices

3. How does Global Fishing Watch’s AI software identify boats that may be fishing illegally?
(a) By monitoring the size of the fish caught
(b) By analyzing satellite pictures and AIS data
(c) By counting the number of fish caught
(d) By tracking the boats’ fuel consumption

4. Where are three-quarters of the world’s big fishing boats not telling people where they are?
(a) Africa and South Asia
(b) North America and Europe
(c) Australia and New Zealand
(d) South America and Antarctica

5. What is the University of Southampton and RS Aqua working on to stop illegal fishing?
(a) A new type of fishing net
(b) A device that repels fish from certain areas
(c) A robot that can listen for fishing sounds underwater
(d) A tool that measures the size of fish caught

6. What is the current status of protected areas in the world in relation to fishing?
(a) Less than half are fully protected
(b) All are fully protected
(c) None are fully protected
(d) Most are fully protected

7. How can individuals make a difference in stopping illegal fishing?
(a) By becoming commercial fishermen themselves
(b) By boycotting all seafood products
(c) By protesting outside fishing ports
(d) By making smart choices and supporting efforts to stop illegal fishing

8. What is the ultimate goal in using AI and new technologies to combat illegal fishing?
(a) To increase the profitability of the fishing industry
(b) To eliminate all fishing activities worldwide
(c) To protect the environment and ensure sustainable fishing practices
(d) To create new jobs in the technology sector

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The AI software developed by Global Fishing Watch analyzes data from boats’ automatic identification systems (AIS) and satellite pictures to identify illegal fishing activities.
2. Approximately 20% of all fish caught worldwide come from legal and regulated fishing.
3. Individuals can contribute to combating illegal fishing by making informed choices and supporting efforts to promote sustainable fishing practices.
4. The University of Southampton and RS Aqua are collaborating on a robot that uses AI to detect fishing sounds underwater and report them to authorities in real-time.
5. Illegal fishing benefits the environment and contributes to sustainable fishing practices.
6. Global Fishing Watch is an organization that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and satellite pictures to monitor commercial fishing boats.
7. More than half of the protected areas in the world are currently fully protected from fishing.
8. Three-quarters of the world’s large fishing boats disclose their location, particularly in Africa and South Asia.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What is the main problem caused by illegal fishing?
2. How does Global Fishing Watch use artificial intelligence and satellite pictures to monitor fishing boats?
3. What information does Global Fishing Watch’s AI software analyze to determine if a boat is fishing illegally?
4. What is the purpose of the underwater robot being developed by the University of Southampton and RS Aqua?
5. How can individuals help in the fight against illegal fishing?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What percentage of all fish caught is from illegal or unregulated fishing?
About 20% of all fish caught are from illegal or unregulated fishing.

2. How does overfishing harm the environment?
Overfishing harms the environment because it leads to catching too many fish, which is not sustainable. It disrupts the balance of marine ecosystems and can cause the extinction of certain fish species.

3. What do organizations like Global Fishing Watch use AI and satellite pictures for?
Organizations like Global Fishing Watch use AI and satellite pictures to monitor commercial fishing boats. They analyze data from the boats’ automatic identification systems (AIS) and satellite pictures to identify boats that are engaged in illegal fishing.

4. How does Global Fishing Watch’s AI software find boats that are fishing illegally?
Global Fishing Watch’s AI software looks at satellite pictures to locate boats and offshore structures. It then cross-references this information with AIS data to identify boats that are not reporting their location. The AI analyzes factors like the size of the boat, its location, the presence of other boats, and the surrounding environment to determine if a boat is likely fishing illegally.

5. What has the technology shown about the world’s big fishing boats?
The technology has shown that three-quarters of the world’s big fishing boats are not reporting their location, especially in regions like Africa and South Asia.

6. What are some other ideas, besides AI, to stop illegal fishing?
One idea is the development of underwater robots that use AI to listen for fishing sounds. These robots can provide real-time information about fishing activities, especially in protected areas, to the authorities so that they can take appropriate action.

7. What is the robot being developed by the University of Southampton and RS Aqua able to do?
The robot being developed by the University of Southampton and RS Aqua is able to go underwater and use AI to listen for fishing sounds. It can then send this information in real-time to the authorities, helping them to address illegal fishing activities, particularly in protected areas.

8. How can individuals make a difference in stopping illegal fishing?
Individuals can make a difference by making smart choices and supporting efforts to stop illegal fishing. They can educate themselves about the issue and choose seafood that is caught in a sustainable way. By doing so, they can help protect the environment and ensure the long-term viability of fishing.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) hurts
(2) overfishing
(3) satellite
(4) identification
(5) Fishing
(6) pictures
(7) things
(8) technology
(9) getting
(10) other
(11) University
(12) authorities
(13) fishing
(14) wants
(15) Using
(16) choosing
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. sustainable
Answer: (C) Able to be maintained or kept going over the long term

2. artificial intelligence
Answer: (B) The use of computers and machines to mimic the problem-solving and decision-making capabilities of the human mind

3. satellite
Answer: (K) An object placed in orbit around the earth to collect information or for communication

4. commercial
Answer: (J) Related to the buying and selling of goods and services

5. analyze
Answer: (A) To examine something carefully in detail in order to understand it better or discover more about it

6. automatic
Answer: (I) Happening or done without manual operation because of pre-set programming

7. offshore
Answer: (F) Located at sea some distance from the shore

8. authorities
Answer: (O) People or organizations that have the power to enforce laws or make decisions

9. real-time
Answer: (N) Information delivered immediately after collection, without delay

10. protected
Answer: (E) Guarded from danger or harm

11. environment
Answer: (L) The natural world including all living things and the places where they live

12. technology
Answer: (G) The application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry

13. seafood
Answer: (M) Food that comes from the ocean, like fish or shellfish

14. efforts
Answer: (H) Actions directed towards achieving a goal

15. sustainable (used in a different context)
Answer: (D) Capable of being continued with minimal long-term effect on the environment
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What percentage of all fish caught are from illegal or unregulated fishing?
Answer: (d) 20%

2. What is the purpose of using artificial intelligence (AI) and satellite pictures in the fight against illegal fishing?
Answer: (b) To keep an eye on commercial fishing boats

3. How does Global Fishing Watch’s AI software identify boats that may be fishing illegally?
Answer: (b) By analyzing satellite pictures and AIS data

4. Where are three-quarters of the world’s big fishing boats not telling people where they are?
Answer: (a) Africa and South Asia

5. What is the University of Southampton and RS Aqua working on to stop illegal fishing?
Answer: (c) A robot that can listen for fishing sounds underwater

6. What is the current status of protected areas in the world in relation to fishing?
Answer: (a) Less than half are fully protected

7. How can individuals make a difference in stopping illegal fishing?
Answer: (d) By making smart choices and supporting efforts to stop illegal fishing

8. What is the ultimate goal in using AI and new technologies to combat illegal fishing?
Answer: (c) To protect the environment and ensure sustainable fishing practices
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The AI software developed by Global Fishing Watch analyzes data from boats’ automatic identification systems (AIS) and satellite pictures to identify illegal fishing activities. (Answer: True)
2. Approximately 20% of all fish caught worldwide come from legal and regulated fishing. (Answer: False)
3. Individuals can contribute to combating illegal fishing by making informed choices and supporting efforts to promote sustainable fishing practices. (Answer: True)
4. The University of Southampton and RS Aqua are collaborating on a robot that uses AI to detect fishing sounds underwater and report them to authorities in real-time. (Answer: True)
5. Illegal fishing benefits the environment and contributes to sustainable fishing practices. (Answer: False)
6. Global Fishing Watch is an organization that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and satellite pictures to monitor commercial fishing boats. (Answer: True)
7. More than half of the protected areas in the world are currently fully protected from fishing. (Answer: False)
8. Three-quarters of the world’s large fishing boats disclose their location, particularly in Africa and South Asia. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧