In their annual “Environmental, Social & Governance Report,” SoundThinking outlined their work with SFB USA in the goal of ending the destructive practice in Malaysia and around the world.

Read the excerpt below:

Protecting Reefs and Underwater Life in the Coral Triangle, Malaysia

SoundThinking researchers have been working with the international environmental coalition Stop Fish Bombing for the last ten years to end fish bombing, a practice that threatens a majority of tropical reefs globally and the food supply of a billion people. This partnership exemplifies our dedication to biodiversity initiatives, showcasing our commitment in action.

In partnership with the NGOs Stop Fish Bombing USA (SFB USA) and Stop Fish Bombing Malaysia (SFB Malaysia), SoundThinking has repurposed urban gunshot detection technology for marine use to end fish bombing. This illegal, unsustainable, and environmentally disastrous fishing method causes irreparable damage to coastal ecosystems, devastating fish nurseries, destroying coral reefs, killing marine life, and reducing flourishing underwater habitats to rubble. Ending fish bombing was considered “Mission Impossible” and had continued without a solution, until now. SoundThinking’s ShotSpotter solution has been deployed in Malaysia to fight fish bombing and to protect its precious reefs from destruction by underwater explosives.

The Integrated Reef Protection System (IRPS), which utilizes ShotSpotter technology, has decreased fish bombing in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by 80 percent. When a blast goes off underwater, it sets off sound waves. The IRPS uses a network of underwater acoustic arrays to identify, locate, and immediately report fish bombing incidents to marine law enforcement. At three locations adjacent to MPAs in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, hydrophones measure the exact time and angle of arrival for each blast sound. Additionally, a marine radar on an island hilltop observes small boat traffic to correlate the underwater blasts with specific vessels. The radar tracks the blast, sending its location to an IRPS smartphone app and directly on to law enforcement.

Our most recent deployment to counter fish bombing was in Mabul, Malaysia, in June 2022. This array was partially funded by the World Wildlife Fund Malaysia as part of their coral restoration efforts at recently bombed sites. In the first 20 days of operation, our ShotSpotter technology detected and notified police enforcement of 138 blasts. Three boats filled with bombed fish were apprehended as a result.

From June until December 2022, a total of 263 fish bombs were detected. In June, a total of 138 fish bombs were detected. In July, this number dropped to 33. Such a dramatic decrease is attributed to the deployment of ShotSpotter technology, which alerted enforcement agencies to blasts and enabled them to apprehend fish bombers in the area where the sensors are deployed. The detection of fish bombs in the area continues, with all information being forwarded to local law enforcement.

In addition to helping identify and apprehend those responsible for this illegal activity, the technology helps law enforcement track and understand the scope and severity of fish bombing in the area. SoundThinking data has helped authorities identify trends in fish bombing. Notably, it has enabled them to determine correlations between fish bombing and the time of day and tide levels, which assists them with intercepting bombing activities before detonation.

The next generation of IRPS development is underway. Our fixed underwater acoustic arrays have successfully reduced fish bombing in the areas monitored, but to eradicate fish bombing requires mobile sensors deployable on boats, buoys, and unmanned surface vessels. These will fill in shadow zones and follow bombers as they migrate. Expansion of the capabilities of the M2 Marine Smart Radar will both allow us to follow bombers and to create exclusion zones for Illegal Unregulated Under-reported fishing. The system will be scalable to allow expansion to other countries with fish bombing problems in the Coral Triangle.

Click here to read SoundThinking’s full Environmental, Social & Governance Report.