Context-dependent changes in maritime traffic activity during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic
Abstract
Rapid implementation of human mobility restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically reduced maritime activity in early 2020. But where and when activity rebounded, or remained low, during the full extent of 2020 restrictions remains unclear. Using global high-resolution datasets, we reveal a surprising degree of complexity in maritime activity patterns during 2020, yielding a more nuanced picture of how restrictions affected activity. Overall, shipping activity in Exclusive Economic Zones decreased (1.35 %), as expected, however high-seas activity increased (0.28 %). While these annual changes appear modest, there were striking spatially and temporally asynchronous variations in different vessel types’ activity in the second half of 2020, ranging from an > 80 % sustained reduction in passenger vessel activity to a 150 % increase in fishing activity. Results suggest systems-level responses were highly context-dependent, pinpointing areas that experienced significant reductions and spikes in activity, and providing hitherto missing details of COVID-19 impacts on economic and environmental sustainability.
Citation
Loveridge , A , Elvidge , C D , Kroodsma , D A , White , T D , Evans , K , Kato , A , Ropert-Coudert , Y , Sommerfeld , J , Takahashi , A , Patchett , R , Robira , B , Rutz , C & Sims , D W 2024 , ' Context-dependent changes in maritime traffic activity during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic ' , Global Environmental Change , vol. 84 , 102773 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2023.102773
Publication
Global Environmental Change
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
0959-3780Type
Journal article
Description
Funding: This article is a contribution of the COVID-19 Bio-Logging Initiative, which is funded in part by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (GBMF9881) and the National Geographic Society (NGS-82515R-20) (both grants to C.R.), and endorsed by the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. Specifically, A.L.’s, R.P.’s and B.R.’s postdoctoral positions were funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (GBMF9881), and J.S.’s contributions were funded by the National Geographic Society (NGS-82515R-20). D.W.S. was supported by a Marine Biological Association Senior Research Fellowship with additional support from the Natural Environment Research Council (Discovery Science NE/R00997/X/1) and the European Research Council (Advanced Grant 883583 OCEAN DEOXYFISH).Collections
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