New Israeli system targets destructive blast fishing to safeguard marine life

An innovative Israeli acoustics system has been designed to make oceans safer by helping countries worldwide detecting and preventing destructive blast fishing. The fishing method is causing widespread marine destruction in primarily developing nations across Latin America, Africa and Asia. In the Mediterranean Ocean, fishermen still use explosives to catch fish in Egypt and in the Balkan region in southeastern Europe. 

The innovative system was developed at Haifa University’s Underwater Acoustics and Navigation Laboratory in northern Israel. The system has reportedly already been successfully tested in the Philippines and there are plans to expand it worldwide. 

Professor Roee Diamant of the Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences at the University of Haifa, who developed the system, recently returned to Israel after overseeing a trial test in Palawan, Philippines, in cooperation with the local coast guard. He explained the destructive impact blast fishing has on marine life.

“This practice is common in developing countries and causes widespread destruction of biodiversity, including coral reefs,” Diamant said. “The challenge is to detect these blasts in real time for enforcement."

Diamant’s research team has currently developed two separate systems that are both based on acoustic sensors that can detect explosions from distances up to 9.3 miles. In addition, the systems are designed to pinpoint the exact location of the impact area. Once the system identifies a blast, it sends alters to local authorities via satellite and cellular networks. 

One of the systems is a solar-powered buoy that is designed for ongoing monitoring of the ocean. The second system consists of a submerged robot that is designed to operate independently for up to 15 days at the bottom of the seafloor where it emits signals when it identifies blasts. Both systems are cost-efficient and currently cost less than $2,000 per unit. This makes the systems ideal for developing countries with limited economic resources. 

“There’s real commercial potential here,” Diamant assessed. “In southern Palawan, we carried out controlled experiments and trained enforcement teams. The systems performed perfectly under harsh conditions – and arrests were made."

Looking ahead, professor Diament seeks to eventually expand the technology to other countries around the world. 

 “The two systems purchased are just the beginning,” he explained. “Our next step is to adapt them for use in Central America and other regions facing the same threat."

The Start-Up Nation Israel has developed various maritime-linked technologies. 

In December 2024, the pioneering Israeli business Eco Wave Power attracted considerable global attention for its innovative ocean wave energy technology system. The company launched a demonstration project at Jaffa Port near Tel Aviv but has plans to expand with similar projects in Los Angeles and Taiwan. 

Eco Wave Power’s CEO Inna Braverman explained the importance of the company’s water-based energy technology. 

“The launch of Israel’s first wave energy power plant is more than just a technological achievement – it’s a powerful statement about the future we envision. This project at Jaffa Port represents a historic milestone in the global renewable energy journey, proving that sea waves can be a viable, clean, and consistent source of electricity,” Braverman stated. 

Want to help more people find our reporting from Israel? Leave a Google review of our website here.