Science activities

MarineTraffic is the world's leading provider of ship tracking and maritime intelligence. We are dedicated to making actionable information easily accessible. Monitoring vessel movements is at the core of what we do. Building on a base of data gathered from our network of coastal AIS-receiving stations, supplemented by satellite receivers, we apply algorithms and integrate complementary data sources to provide the shipping, trade and logistics industries with actionable insights into shipping activity. With our main offices in the UK, Greece and Singapore, we continue to grow our presence in some of the worlds leading maritime hubs, granting us direct access to the markets we serve. Our reach is truly global, enabling us to support the millions that use our service. Our mission to bring about transparency and meaningful change to the maritime world is underlined by partnerships with bodies such as the International Maritime Organisation, and The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). We also work closely with the world's leading ports, maritime companies and oil majors, on projects dedicated to improving efficiency and reducing environmental impact. Our culture of innovation, combined with our desire to consistently exceed expectations, is what drives our diverse, dynamic and entrepreneurial workforce. We set bold goals and are committed to making MarineTraffic a hub where the maritime industry connects and collaborates to create a more transparent and robust shipping ecosystem, and a greener, cleaner world.

The federal hatcheries mark and tag fish that are released into the river or bay using a combination of coded wire tags (CWT) and adipose fin clipping. The number of fish tagged and the identifiers are reported to the RMPC which is part of the RMIS. The Regional Mark Processing Center (RMPC) provides essential services to international, state, federal, and tribal fisheries organizations involved in marking anadromous salmonids throughout the Pacific region. These services include regional coordination of some tagging and fin marking programs, maintenance of databases for Coded Wire Tag Releases, Recoveries, and Locations, as well as the dissemination of reports of these data in electronic or printed form when requested. These databases are known collectively as the Regional Mark Information System (RMIS).

The San Joaquin County & Delta Water Quality Coalition was established to help irrigated agriculture meet the requirements of the California Regional Water Quality Control Board's (RWQCB) Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program (ILRP) in San Joaquin County, Calaveras County and Contra Costa County. The Coalitions is operated and governed by the San Joaquin County Resource Conservation District. Under the ILRP that was originally adopted in July of 2003, farmers and ranchers that irrigate their land and have runoff from that irrigation or rainfall must belong to a coalition or apply for an individual discharge permit from the Regional Board directly.

A team at UC Davis (Dr. Mark Lubell, Dr. Gwen Arnold, PhD Candidate Kyra Gmoser-Daskalakis) is conducting social science research on wetland restoration in the California Bay-Delta as part of a larger, interdisciplinary project on wetland restoration across multiple University of California campuses and national labs ("Coastal Wetland Restoration a Nature Based Decarbonization Multi-Benefit Climate Mitigation Solution"). First, the project is conducting social network and spatial analysis using the EcoAtlas project database to examine drivers of wetland restoration investment in the Bay-Delta from the 1980s to now. Second, case studies of individual restoration projects and interviews with 40+ restoration project partners examines barriers to the restoration implementation and perceptions and goals of multi-benefits among interested parties. Preliminary results have been shared at the State of the Estuary and Bay-Delta Science Conferences in 2024. See https://wetlands.ucsc.edu/index.html for more information.

Tradeoffs among objectives in natural resource management can be exacerbated in altered ecosystems and when there is uncertainty in predicted management outcomes. Multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) and value of information (VOI) are underutilized decision tools that can assist fisheries managers in handling tradeoffs and evaluating the importance of uncertainty. We demonstrate the use of these tools using a case study in the Sacramento River, California, U.S.A., where two imperiled species with different temperature requirements, winter-run Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and Green Sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris), spawn and rear in the artificially cold Shasta Dam tailwater. A temperature-control device installed on Shasta Dam maintains cool water for Chinook Salmon; however, uncertainties exist related to the effects of temperatures on the spawning and rearing of both species. We consider four alternative hypotheses in models of early life-stage dynamics to evaluate the effects of alternative temperature-management strategies on Chinook Salmon and Green Sturgeon management objectives. We used VOI to quantify the increase in management performance that can be expected by resolving hypothesis-based uncertainties as a function of the weight assigned to species-specific objectives. We found the decision was hindered by uncertainty; the best performing alternative depends on which hypothesis is true, with warmer or cooler alternative management strategies recommended when weights favor Green Sturgeon or Chinook Salmon objectives, respectively. The value of reducing uncertainty was highest when Green Sturgeon was slightly favored, highlighting the interaction between scientific uncertainty and decision makers' values. Our demonstration features MCDA and VOI as transparent, deliberative tools that can assist fisheries managers in confronting value conflicts, prioritizing resolution of uncertainty, and optimally managing aquatic ecosystems.

This LiDAR project provides high-resolution, region-wide elevation data for the San Francisco Bay-Delta, offering an unprecedented view of the landscape, landforms, and habitat conditions. LiDAR, which stands for Light Detection and Ranging, uses laser pulses to measure the distance between the sensor and the ground, creating detailed three-dimensional maps of terrain. This dataset captures fine-scale features across the Delta and surrounding areas. This supports researchers, community members, and agencies to better visualize changes in topography, habitat distribution, and flood risk. By providing consistent, accurate, and comprehensive coverage, the LiDAR data supports a wide range of applications. Researchers can use the data to study habitat dynamics, track landscape change over time, model ecological processes, and more. Agencies and planners can integrate the information into flood risk management, infrastructure planning, and climate adaptation strategies. Community organizations and local stakeholders can also use the data to understand environmental conditions in their neighborhoods and inform local projects. The LiDAR data will be made publicly available following final review in 2026.

Availability details and links will be shared here as soon as the data are released.

This LiDAR collection collaboration would not be possible without funding support from the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority, Delta Stewardship Council, California Department of Water Resources, South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project, and Valley Water (Santa Clara County).

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