Founded in 2020, WEO is a company built on the conviction that timely, accurate analytics are essential to tackling major environmental challenges and driving sustainable decision-making. WEO focuses on delivering environmental intelligence that is affordable, frequently updated, and scalable across the globe. Specialised in strengthening urban resilience, optimising vegetation management, and reducing environmental risk, WEO transforms satellite imagery into advanced analytics and leverages AI to produce clear, actionable insights.

The challenge

Many communities still rely on outdated, project-based environmental data, meaning they miss regular updates that reflect changing risks. Accessing current, high-resolution data over large areas is often too expensive or technically difficult.

The satellite solution

Satellite data offers regular, objective, and consistent observations over time. This top-down regional perspective becomes truly actionable when enriched with local datasets and expert knowledge: for example, revealing how vegetation structure shapes fire propagation toward homes or critical infrastructure. Because it provides continuous, unbiased, and often freely accessible information, satellite data is a powerful and inclusive resource for communities. By combining multiple satellite datasets, it delivers a more complete and robust picture of environmental conditions.

However, the spatial resolution of open-source satellite imagery can be too coarse to directly support decisions at the community or asset scale: WEO overcomes this limitation by fusing open-source satellite data with high-resolution local datasets, enhancing its precision and generating detailed, actionable insights at the scale communities need. WEO also enables community participation, integrating local knowledge and documenting measures taken on the ground to ensure that insights reflect real-world conditions.

The results

WEO’s solution empowers communities to understand and anticipate climate-related risks, enabling them to plan with greater confidence and immediately explore suitable mitigation options when threats are identified.

For example, WEO helps communities manage climate risks by identifying heat retention patterns, seasonal hot spots, and the effectiveness of mitigation measures; assessing vegetation for wildfire prevention and guiding land management; and detecting flood-prone areas to plan protective infrastructure. It also supports up-to-date risk documentation, clear communication with residents, and planning of evacuation zones integrating multiple risk factors.

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Earthpulse is a space-enabled risk intelligence platform that helps governments and institutions understand, anticipate and reduce the impacts of natural hazards. By combining satellite Earth Observation with local data, advanced modelling and on-the-ground knowledge, Earthpulse transforms fragmented information into clear, actionable insights for prevention, preparedness and resilience planning. 

The challenge

In the Dominican Republic, extreme events are becoming more frequent and severe, driven by recurrent Atlantic storms, steep terrain and highly variable rainfall. Yet despite decades of emergencies, the national understanding of flood and landslide risk remained fragmented, with no comprehensive flood history, incomplete landslide records, limited high-resolution rainfall data and scattered local datasets. This lack of a clear risk baseline has kept prevention largely reactive, making it difficult for authorities to anticipate where impacts will occur and to plan effective long-term resilience strategies.

The satellite solution

Earthpulse uses Earth Observation to provide governments with continuous, objective and country-wide visibility of risk, including during extreme weather and in hard-to-access areas. Radar satellites can see through clouds, which is critical during storms, while EO data allow authorities to reconstruct past events, monitor current conditions and anticipate future hazards by tracking changes in water, soil moisture, vegetation and terrain stability. When combined with local rainfall measurements, terrain models and socioeconomic data, this approach delivers a more complete and reliable picture of risk, reducing uncertainty and supporting better-targeted prevention efforts. 

In the Dominican Republic, this solution transformed fragmented and incomplete information into a coherent national risk baseline. Satellite data were used to build the country’s first flood and landslide inventories, develop risk maps for critical infrastructure, and model where future events are most likely to occur, including under climate change scenarios—laying the groundwork for an EO-enabled Early Warning System. 

The work was commissioned by the World Bank under ESA’s GDA Fast EO Co-Financing Facility, ensuring alignment with national priorities and coordination across institutions. ESA provided the Earth Observation framework, tools and data access, while International Financing Institutions such as the World Bank helped bridge EO innovation and national resilience planning. The solution was developed in two phases: first, rebuilding the missing baseline, and second, translating insights into operational, scalable risk tools the government can expand over time. 

The results

• Faster prevention: Authorities now see where risks concentrate before disasters hit.  

• Better planning: Infrastructure, housing, and emergency budgets can be prioritised transparently.  

• A living framework: Every new satellite image or rainfall event strengthens the national risk model.  

• Supports early warning: The foundation is now in place for alerts rooted in evidence, not guesswork.  

• Scalable region-wide: The same approach works for other Caribbean nations with similar pressures.  

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GeoCodis Ltd. is a high-tech Slovenian company specialising in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Earth Observation (EO), and Geo-information Systems (GIS). The company, established in 2014, has headquarters in Slovenia with branch offices in Canary Islands, Spain, and Uganda. The team of EO-specialists and software developers has developed tailored AI models that enable efficient analysis of large datasets, providing clients with a competitive edge. In the field of Earth Observation, GeoCodis has played a key role in numerous projects that transform satellite data into applicable solutions. Whether addressing water resource monitoring, urban development, or land use management the company leverages raw geospatial data to support critical decision-making processes across various domains. GeoCodis already collaborated with major organisations such as the European Space Agency (ESA), the EU the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) and others commercial clients.

The challenge

Droughts are becoming more frequent and severe, with widespread impacts on agriculture, water supply and ecosystem health. Yet, governments and agencies struggle to track the impact and effectiveness of drought management policies in real time. Without accurate and timely insights, decisions often remain reactive rather than proactive. In many places, persistent dry spells and soil-water deficits undermine both agriculture and water security: over the past few decades, Slovenia has experienced at least seven major agricultural droughts, many of which caused hundreds of millions of euros in damage.

The satellite solution

To address this challenge, GeoCodis, through the DriDanube consortium and in line with the Clim4Cast project, developed the DroughtWatch portal. It provides users with spatial and temporal view of several drought-related datasets and indices, including vegetation and drought indices, precipitation and temperature datasets and integrates estimated drought impacts, using satellite data and analytical tools.

The platform brings together information from several sources developed within Clim4Cast project and EUMETSAT products. Indices such as heat index, daily evapotranspiration, soil drought intensity, soil moisture deficit, thermal climate index and others shows both current conditions and long-term trends in an easy-to-use interface. Users can explore how drought is developing, compare today’s situation with historic data and quickly see where risks are growing, helping them make faster and more informed decisions. The portal is mostly used to assess droughts, heat waves and potential forest fire conditions and supports proactive planning across sectors.

The results

Using DroughtWatch, government agencies and civil protection organisations benefit from earlier detection of emerging drought hotspots, better coordination, and more strategic planning. The tool has improved situational awareness, reduced reliance on fragmented data, and enabled more efficient resource allocation. As a result, Slovenian Environmental Agency (ARSO) is using the portal mainly to monitor droughts and report on possible developing droughts in SE Europe region due to its role as host of Drought management centre for SE Europe. The portal allows visual and numerical comparison of various drought-related indices as well as generation of timeline animations. It currently profits from ARSO and other regional institutions’ involvement in recent projects such as Clim4Cast and Eumetsat’s LSA SAF. DroughtWatch is designed in the way that inclusion of new sets of data layers is relatively straight forward and expected as regional cooperation evolves and requires new information.

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WASDI is a joint venture of FadeOut Software and LIST based in Luxembourg that provides a cloud-based platform for accessing, processing, and analysing Earth observation data. Their mission is to democratise the use of satellite information by enabling users — from experts to non-specialists — to easily transform raw data into actionable insights. By integrating advanced cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and geospatial technologies, WASDI supports applications related to environmental monitoring, disaster management, land and water resource assessment, and sustainable development. Their platform offers a collaborative environment where users can process data, develop and share applications, and deliver services without needing complex infrastructure.  

Luxembourg Red Cross 

The Luxembourg Red Cross is a humanitarian organisation dedicated to protecting and supporting people affected by crises, both in Luxembourg and internationally. Through its Humanitarian Aid unit, it provides rapid emergency assistance in situations of conflict, natural disasters, and population displacement, delivering essential services such as shelter, water and sanitation, medical support, and protection. Beyond immediate relief, the organisation strengthens community resilience through long-term recovery and development programmes. 

The challenge

The growing frequency and severity of disasters demands fast and informed responses. Yet, many crisis-affected areas remain hard to access and difficult to monitor. Limited observation in remote regions and the complexity of assessing natural hazards can delay critical decisions and intervention when time matters most. Humanitarian teams in the fields — often without satellite-data expertise — need simple, effective and friendly tools that turn data into clear, actionable information. 

At the same time, recurrent emergencies, lack of budget and challenging logistics continue to strain operational capacity. These realities have pushed the International Department of the Luxembourg Red Cross to invest in innovation, research and strategic partnerships.  

The satellite solution

To address this challenge, the Luxembourg Red Cross, WASDI and LIST developed a platform through the WFP Humanitarian Innovation Accelerator (HIA) programme: RISE (Remote Imaging Support for Emergencies). This user-friendly tool was designed for non-experts and directly meets field needs focusing on flood and damage assessment, giving access to clear, usable information and supporting rapid decision-making. 

By selecting an area on the map, users receive the latest available EO data, automatically processed into clear, ready-to-use hazard maps. It also leverages satellite image archives from multiple sources, enabling robust risk evaluation and comparison over time, as well as revisiting old hazards. Thanks to EO satellites, RISE displays near-real-time intelligence on floods, droughts and other risks, enabling faster and better informed decisions. 

Fully automated and accessible worldwide, RISE is a complementary tool that allows humanitarian teams to assess events, understand impacts and support more people.  

The results

Red Cross Madagascar have conducted a validation exercise that demonstrated that using RISE led to an 84.6% reduction in response time and an 89.97% decrease in operational costs compared to standard methods. For the Luxembourg Red Cross, the platform reduced reliance on in-person data collection, enabled faster coordination, saved budget, decrease the number of people put at risk in the exercise, and proved intuitive and adaptable to real-world field conditions. RISE serves as a complement to field expertise, helping responders carry out their work more effectively.  

Key to this impact is clear communication between users and service providers and an intuitive interface that makes complex geospatial data immediately usable for operational decision-making. 

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+ATLANTIC is a Collaborative Laboratory that transforms scientific knowledge into practical solutions for ocean, coastal, climate, and environmental challenges. By combining Earth observation, data science, AI, and numerical modelling, it delivers user-oriented products that support governance, innovation, and public awareness, all with the mission to drive a sustainable transition across the Atlantic region. 

The challenge

Mediterranean cities face multiple climate risks, from heatwaves to sea level rise and storms, all amplified by coastal urbanisation, tourism pressure, ageing populations, and migration trends. These vulnerabilities affect health (heat-related mortality and pollution-linked illness), energy (changing demand and reduced hydropower during droughts), and infrastructure (damage from unpredictable floods and storms driven by growing climate variability). 

The satellite solution

Earth Observation provides essential data to anticipate and manage climate-related risks in Mediterranean cities, particularly heat extremes and sea level rise. By analysing satellite-derived information on land use, vegetation, and built-up areas, EO helps detect and quantify the Urban Heat Island effect, where heat accumulates in densely built environments. Long-term geospatial datasets feed into data-driven models that improve local weather forecasts and enable the creation of early warning and adaptation tools. These EO-based systems are strengthened by in-situ measurements and computing power, with many initiatives supported through European public funding. 

The results

The integration of EO data into local planning enhances cities’ awareness and preparedness for climate-induced extremes. Beyond heatwaves, the approach supports a broader understanding of interconnected hazards and their impacts on health, infrastructure, and energy. Through +ATLANTIC’s multi-hazard platform AtlanticSENSE, decision-makers and citizens can now benchmark local risk profiles, access transparent and traceable information, and strengthen their literacy on environmental and climate risks, fostering more resilient and informed urban communities. 

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Founded in 1984, the University of the Aegean aims to promote regional development and to introduce new approaches in higher education in Greece and worldwide. Member of the European Universities Association (EUA), member of the EMUNI Senate and partner in many academics and research networks, the University of the Aegean has become a dynamic and competitive institution at national and international level and a strong social and economic stakeholder in the region.

The challenge

Fish stock monitoring is an integral part of fisheries research and management. It is vital for assessing the state of the ecosystem, and if there are changes to the suitable habitat of the species.

Traditional methods of small pelagic fish monitoring is done through catch assessment onboard fishing vessels, fishing logbooks, and echo surveys. All these methods are time-consuming and require a lot of resources, either financial or manpower.

The satellite solution

The University of the Aegean developed remote sensing models using Copernicus Sentinel-3 data (OLCI and SLSTR sensors) to monitor environmental conditions such as chlorophyll-a and sea surface temperature. These variables act as proxies for identifying suitable habitats and feeding grounds for small pelagic fish.

The results

The project led to the development of an operational workflow that produces:

• Spatial distribution models (1 km) for both anchovy and sardine populations, enabling precise mapping of potential habitats.
• Daily presence/absence prediction maps, where each pixel represents the likelihood of observing a given species at that location, based on the most recent satellite data.
• A pilot geospatial service, offering an interactive platform for fisheries managers to explore and access updated habitat information.
• Ancillary products, such as thermal front maps, which highlight biologically productive zones where different water masses meet—often hotspots for fish activity.

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The International Astronautical Congress (IAC) is the largest global space forum where, once a year, space stakeholders come together to discuss the latest trends and developments and to shape the future of the sector. Every year, the Congress switches location and theme.

IAC2022 has been inaugurated as “Space for @ll”, to highlight the tremendous change experienced by the sector in the lasts decades transforming it from a closed sector accessible only to a handful of engineers into a transversal, multidisciplinary industry enabling highly innovative services that nowadays are a crucial part of our daily lives, hence capable of setting in motion virtuous processes of sustainable socio-economic development.

From the 18^th to the 22^nd of September, Paris welcomed about 9300 delegates from 110 countries including seasoned experts as well as students and young professionals representing this year 45% of the overall participants demonstrating the increasing interest of young generations for this domain. The 73^rd edition of the IAC has been a record edition not just for the unprecedented number of delegates attending the event, but especially owing to the 3000 papers presented, among which 800 interactive presentations, 25 Global Networking Forum (GNF) sessions and 19 Special Sessions.

Such extraordinary success became tangible during the public day, when the IAC opens its doors to the general public. This edition welcomed around 2,200 people including space enthusiasts, universities, high school students, and families. A day entirely dedicated to space’s discovery and the future of the space exploration illustrated through the inspiring tales of Europe’s astronauts: Alexander Gerst, Matthias Maurer, Luca Parmitano and Thomas Pesquet.

This year, Eurisy team has been hosted at the European Space Agency (ESA) booth. This was the occasion to showcase the latest Eurisy publication “Satellites Going Local- Maritime Edition”. A booklet collecting case studies of satellite applications in the maritime domain. Eurisy was engaged in multiple initiatives on different areas related to the work carried out throughout the year. On September 19th Eurisy participated in a Special Session focused on “Building bridges between established and emerging space industry” organised by the Slovak Space Office. Member of Eurisy since June 2021, the Slovak Space Office the space industry branch of the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO) in charge of developing the Slovak space ecosystem and establishing international professional cooperation of domestic companies  with relevant actors.

The session organised during this past IAC is part of a broader set of initiatives to support emerging space nations to share best practices and boost their entrepreneurial ecosystem fulfilling the United Nations’ Sustainable Development goals. The panel counted on the expert views of Allison Areias-Vogel from United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), Jonathan Hung from Singapore Space and Technology Ltd, Raycho Raychev of Endurosat, Temidayo Oniosun from Space in Africa, Matias Campos from Sideralis Foundation, Veronica La Regina from Nanoracks Europe, and Annalisa Donati from Eurisy. During the session, Annalisa illustrated how Eurisy creates and manages platforms to share experiences and best practices among its members, to forge partnerships thus favoring cooperation to develop national space programmes tailored on the strengths of the individual countries. Through its activities, Eurisy enhances the reach of national space initiatives providing international recognition and smoothing the path for stories of success like the signature of the Associated Membership Agreement between Slovakia and the European Space Agency. For those interested in the content of the discussion additional information are available here.

Eurisy also presented two technical papers as outcome of selected activities performed throughout the year. Since early 2022, Eurisy has been actively investigating into challenges and opportunities to use satellite based solution for Disaster Risk Management through a series of activities, culminating in the conference “Satellite-based Services for Disaster Risk Management”, held in Athens on May 25th and co-organised with the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) and the Greek Ministry Climate Crisis and Civil Protection.

The paper “Integrating Satellite Applications in Disaster Risk Management”. builds on this work shedding light on the potential for space-based solutions to contribute into the different phases of the disaster management cycle. The paper describes European and international mechanisms to access and share  these information as well as the obstacles in their integration experienced from actual users in Greece, used as case study. The research also pursued to deepen the disaster risk management community among European states with regard to the integration of satellite applications, also through several recent case studies on the use of satellite-based services during disasters and extreme weather events.

Another great opportunity for Eurisy was the presentation of the paper “GIS4SCHOOLS – Paving the Way For The School Of Tomorrow: Leveraging On Space Technology To Stimulate Steam Learning And Teaching”. Shortlisted as the best interactive presentation of IAC2022 for the Space and Society section out of more than 800 presentations, the aim of the paper was to present the latest development of the Erasmus+ GIS4Schools project. Underpinning the in-depth interviews with the schools’ representatives involved in the project and the data collected through the Digital Diaries, an open source mobile application to collect students’ feedback, the presentation provided an overview of the skills acquired by the teachers and pupils through the project. The paper also showcases the suit of freely accessible products developed by experts including the Training Handbook, available in 5 different languages, the e-leaning platform and the use cases.

And that’s not all: Eurisy’s week was packed with additional important engagements such as the session dedicated to the Copernicus and Me project. With the support of the European Space Agency – which hosted us thoughout the week – Eurisy organised a session dedicated to the project, whose objective is to bring to non-space communities hands-on examples of what can be achieved by using data and services from the Copernicus satellite constellations. The session was the opportunity to showcase three video key case studies: VIDA: Supporting access to electricity in Sierra Leone, Mitigating the effects of climate change at public transport stops in Prague, and Safeguarding cultural heritage in Rhodes. The videos put the users on the spotlight to explain to their peers the befits they enjoyed by integrating those applications as well as the process for the development of tailor-made solutions addressing their specific needs.

IAC was also the moment to celebrate the 10th edition of its very own Hubert Curien Award. The Hubert Curien Award is a historic biennial Eurisy award to the legacy of its founding father, Hubert Curien. It recognises the efforts to help society benefit from space. Every two years, a high-level international jury selects a winner among a list of nominated candidates among any person or organisation that demonstrated dedication in the field of international cooperation in space science and technology, or in the promotion of space applications and their benefits to society. This last edition was special not just because was the 10th anniversary of such a prestigious award, but also because it awarded Amalia Ercoli Finzi’s lifelong commitment and work in space exploration.

Visit our dedicated webpage to visit our dedicated webpage to learn more about the highlights of the 10th HCA and the acceptance video of this year’s winner.

IAC 2022 brings with it a great deal of satisfaction for the achievements recognised by other colleagues and space actors and allow us to look to the future with confidence and with new relationships to cultivate. Until the next IAC!

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The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management

The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management is committed to improving quality of life, access and mobility in a clean, safe and sustainable environment. The Ministry strives to create an efficient network of roads, railways, waterways, and airways, and to implement effective practices to better manage floods and improve air and water quality.

The challenge

The Maritime Spatial Planning Directive requires EU Member States to draw and apply maritime spatial plans. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management is the coordinating ministry for the integrated North Sea policy and manages the Dutch part of the North Sea. High on its agenda there is the construction of new offshore windfarms. However, the North Sea basin is under a lot of pressure and finding suitable locations is not an easy task.

Transforming governmental ambitions of sustainable use of the sea into something concrete means fitting all the needs in one coherent spatial plan, which implies trade-offs. The situation can become very complex when all the different stakeholders and interests are considered (e.g., marine protection, aquaculture, shipping lanes, recreational activities, existing telecom, energy corridors, etc.). Other pieces of the puzzle, such as the capacity of the electricity grid, the infrastructure required to get the energy from the windfarm on the national grid, and boundary conditions, are also crucial to meet the national ambitions for offshore windfarm development.

The satellite solution

The Breda University of Applied Sciences is a government-funded higher education institute in the Netherlands. Under the Academy for Games and Media, the University has a research programme concerning serious games and complex decision-making. One of its projects is a Maritime Spatial Planning simulation platform relying on game technology and design, meant for those who must spatially plan the sea. Since a few years, the MSP Challenge Simulation Platform is used within the Digital Twin North Sea project, a cooperation between government agencies, knowledge institutes and the business community to create a state-of-the-art support tool for policy makers, stakeholders, scientists, and citizens.

This ‘digital replica’ of the North Sea simulates spatial plans and their effects. The current Digital Twin North Sea consists of three components: a browser version, the MSP Challenge simulation platform, and a virtual reality prototype module. The tool offers a map of the North Sea basin to simulate the energy production and the infrastructure needed to get the maximum capacity from wind farms installed there to the national grid. Multiple layers are available, such as wind speed, wave height, bathymetry, and sediments. The map also displays the location of current offshore windfarms and shows where new windfarms are being considered for development. One important contributor to the tool is the Copernicus programme, which provides free and open marine data that are integrated in the different layers, and that consists of satellite images, models and data visualisations.

The results

The MSP Challenge Simulation Platform provides, on a free and open-source basis, an engaging tool for students, professionals and policy makers to better understand basic electrical engineering in offshore wind power development and the spatial implications of it. The Dutch Government has been continuously investing in the development and application of novel simulation and game technologies since the international conference on Maritime Spatial Planning held in Lisbon in 2011. The current simulation platform is the result of a fourth design iteration.

Because the MSP Challenge makes use of GIS data, the platform provides direct feedback while testing out different scenarios. Thanks to the platform, policy makers can now engage stakeholders in a pragmatic way. The multi-user system allows to create shared servers to work in a co-creative setting with multiple stakeholders at a time, both during live and online sessions. In addition to the North Sea, the platform also covers the Baltic Sea, the Clyde Marine Region, and the Adriatic Sea.

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The Cyprus Audit Office

The Cyprus Audit Office is an independent State Authority of the Republic of Cyprus. It is responsible for auditing the accounts of the central government, ministries, local administrations, and national public organisations. The mission of the Office is to conduct quality financial, performance and compliance audits in the wider public sector for the purpose of public reporting, thus enhancing transparency and accountability. The Office contributes to the efficient and effective management of public resources, reducing the mismanagement of public funds and corruption.

The challenge

Cypriot coastline and beaches are the habitats of many animal and vegetal species, some of which are considered as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Every year, beaches bring millions of tourists to Cyprus. Indeed, tourism represents a vital source for the country’s economy, but its substantial increase, with the creation of new touristic infrastructures, could also pose threats to the island’s biodiversity.

In 2016, to ensure effective coastal management, the Office conducted an audit to evaluate the measures implemented by the competent authorities to protect the coastline and contain the effects of the potential threats related to mass tourism and illegal activities. The audit’s goal was to understand how coastal protection measures are implemented, to identify illegal structures in the national Coastal Protected Zone, and to detect activities that do not comply with the National Beach Usage Plan. To do this, the Audit Office needed reliable data that could help them in picturing the evolution of the coastline and assess the effects of tourism and man-made activities on the island.

The satellite solution

To realise the Audit, the Office submitted questionnaires to local authorities, realised visits to collect in-situ data, and interviewed public officers and non-governmental organisations. Moreover, the Cyprus Audit Office relied on GIS technology to obtain information on land ownership and protected coastal zones. This information was needed to assess the potential effects of illegal buildings and mass tourism on coastal erosion.

Satellite imagery from multiple sources, including Sentinel-2 images, Google Earth and orthophotos from the Department of Lands and Surveys, was used to map the entire island and to draw a temporal perspective of the evolution of the coastline. The satellite images used by the Audit Office were retrieved by the digitised cadastral maps developed by the Cyprus Department of Lands and Surveys and made freely available online through a dedicated portal.

The results

Thanks to the GIS technology, the Audit Office was able to assess the evolution of coastal erosion and of illegal building sprawl during         the  last years, and to estimate the potential economic impacts on the long run.

The use of satellite data provided the Audit Office with a broad vision of the geographic area surrounding the island, allowing it to perform a broad inspection of the coastline, while drastically reducing the time and costs dedicated to the audit. Indeed, in-situ observations were only necessary to validate contrasting data and information.

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OceanMind

OceanMind is a not-for-profit organisation that powers marine enforcement and compliance to protect the ocean’s ability to provide for human wellbeing. OceanMind aims at supporting governmental authorities and food suppliers, mainly seafood buyers, by combining maritime expertise and knowledge with advanced technologies. Originally launched in 2014 as the “Project Eyes on the Seas”, resulting from a collaboration between the Satellite Applications Catapult and Pew Charitable Trusts, OceanMind became a new independent not-for-profit organisation in 2018.

The challenge

Overfishing is one of the main factors causing the decline of the ocean’s wildlife populations. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), between 2017 and 2018, 1/3 of global fish stocks are classified as overfished and no longer biologically sustainable. In Europe, about 38% of the fish in the North-East Atlantic and the Baltic Sea is overfished. In the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, this percentage reaches 87% in total. Aggressive and destructive fishing methods are indeed one of the principal threats to biodiversity and habitats. For example, Fish Aggregation Devices (FADs) dramatically increase catch rates and reduce the resource and effort required per catch. Nevertheless, they also result in higher levels of bycatch, particularly of vulnerable species. In addition, often FADs are lost, adding to the marine waste problem. Validate the fishing methods for seafood suppliers is relevant today to provide the consumers with a sustainable product.

The satellite solution

In 2017, the OceanMind team developed an independent validation of source, legality, and fishing methods. The methodology merges a wide variety of data, including Vessel Monitoring System (VSM) data, Automatic Identification System (AIS) data, fishing vessels’ authorisations, and oceanographic and geospatial data derived from satellite images collected through multiple sources, including private companies as Spire, and Earthwatch, that represent the main validation tool for OceanMind.

The output of this data analysis is a risk assessment report delivered by OceanMind to their partners, mainly seafood suppliers and food retailers, to support traceability and inform their buying decisions. The multi-layered information analysis on the seafood supply chain allows users to verify the claims of the fishing practices made by a supplier and provides information on any suspected illegal behaviour.

The results

OceanMind developed its first report on FAD fishing methods for the British food retailer Sainsbury’s to validate the fishing methods adopted by the vessels in their tuna supply chain. OceanMind and Sainsbury’s are working together to ensure a long term and independent feedback mechanism to validate the legality and responsibility of tuna suppliers from the moment of capture. This approach can impact significantly fishing techniques and could serve as a case study for other supply chains such as agriculture.

Leveraging on OceanMind data and assessment, Sainsbury’s farmed fish sources are today 100% certified, and 82.3% of their wild-caught fish and seafood is considered as sustainable and environmentally friendly by the UK Marine Stewardship Council standards. The 2019 estimations from Sainsbury’s, highlighted that verified FAD-free tuna represents 90% of Sainsbury’s canned tuna offer and approximately 9% of their total fish sale.

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