A recent study by Heriot-Watt University has found that more than half of the vessels operating near Scotland’s coasts are not visible through standard maritime tracking systems.
According to the research, only 43% of vessels within 10 kilometers of the Scottish shoreline were found to transmit Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals, which are used to monitor ship movements around the world.
Researchers warn that this lack of tracking could seriously impact marine safety, conservation efforts, and effective ocean management.
The study was based on more than 1,800 hours of surveys conducted between 2019 and 2024, covering nine of Scotland’s eleven marine regions.
A large portion of the data came from citizen scientists-volunteers from various coastal organisations who were trained to follow standardised procedures in observing and recording vessel movements.
Participants included members of Whale and Dolphin Conservation Shorewatch in Shetland, the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, and the Community of Arran Seabed Trust.
Their
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