Blast fishing destroys reefs. Underwater microphones can help detect it

Researchers led by marine biologist Ben Williams deployed low-cost hydrophones across Indonesia's Spermonde Archipelago, recording nearly 3,700 hours of underwater audio to quantify illegal blast fishing that has destroyed three-quarters of local coral since 1990.

An open-source algorithm flagged suspected explosions, which humans then confirmed, tallying almost 3,570 blasts and yielding an estimate of more than 8,400 detonations a year, enough to damage roughly 17 hectares of reef annually.

Outside experts note the method is useful for gathering evidence to pressure policymakers but not for real-time enforcement, which requires more sophisticated monitoring already in limited use elsewhere in the region.

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