The World Conference on Marine Biodiversity (WCMB) is a triennial global conference that brings together scientists, policymakers, and other stakeholders to discuss the latest research on marine biodiversity and its conservation. For the first time, this edition included a special session on the application of artificial intelligence to various marine-related topics. The Harnessing AI and Machine Learning for Marine Protection and Conservation session discussed topics such as AI-assisted remote sensing, automated species identification, and AI-driven oceanographic modeling and forecasting. The SusTunTech project presented results on automated tuna catch identification, route optimization and climate change impacts on tuna fisheries.

Image: From left to right: Dr. Qianshuo Zhao (Ocean University of China), Xabier Lekunberri (AZTI), Dr. Kakani Katija (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, MBARI) and Dr. Enrique Montes (NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory).