Special Session 16

SPECIAL SESSION #16

Alessandro Galdelli

Polytechnic University of Marche, Italy

• a.galdelli@univpm.it

Anna Nora Tassetti

National Research Council, Institute for Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnologies (IRBIM-CNR), Italy

• annanora.tassetti@cnr.it

Luca Marsaglia

Global Fishing Watch

• luca.marsaglia@globalfishingwatch.org

Adriano Mancini

Polytechnic University of Marche, Italy

• a.mancini@univpm.it

Gagan Narang

Polytechnic University of Marche, Italy

• g.narang@pm.univpm.it

In an era where oceans speak through data, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with remote sensing technologies has revolutionized the way we observe, analyze, and manage marine and coastal environments. This transformation is especially timely, as ubiquitous multimodal marine sensors have made ocean metrology richer, more precise, and increasingly interconnected. AI-driven remote sensing offers unprecedented opportunities for data-driven insights and decision-making. Therefore, harnessing novel AI driven data utilization methodologies and multimodal fusion methods is now essential, not only for capturing the full complexity of marine systems but for effectively responding to rapidly evolving environmental threats and ensuring sustainable management of marine resources. This workshop aims to bring together researchers, industry professionals, and policymakers to explore the latest advancements in applying AI to marine remote sensing and additionally explore opportunities for multimodal data integration. Key methods will encompass advanced image and signal processing techniques, machine learning and deep learning applications to time series analysis, satellite and drone imagery, and the creation of predictive models. The workshop will also explore specific use cases, including marine ecosystem monitoring, oceanographic parameter analysis, coastal dynamics assessment, fisheries management and control, and advancing climate change mitigation strategies. Moreover, discussions will address challenges related to data integration, scalability, and the ethical implications of AI-driven technologies in marine environments. Through presentations, interactive sessions, and collaborative discussions, participants will gain insights into practical applications, cutting-edge research, and emerging trends in the field. The ultimate goal of the workshop is to foster knowledge exchange, inspire innovation, and catalyze new collaborations that leverage AI and remote sensing to promote sustainable development and environmental stewardship.

We encourage contributions focused on benthic marine invertebrates, including but not limited to:

1. AI Techniques for Marine Remote Sensing:
• Machine learning and deep learning models for satellite and drone image analysis;
• Time series analysis using AI for maritime environmental data;
• Automated feature extraction from multispectral and hyperspectral imagery;
• Generative AI for synthetic data augmentation in remote sensing.
2. Innovative AI Applications in Remote Sensing:
• Anomaly detection in environmental datasets using AI;
• Predictive analytics for natural disaster preparedness;
• AI-powered change detection techniques in urban and natural landscapes;
• Leveraging AI to assess and mitigate environmental pollution.
3. Challenges and Future Directions:
• Addressing data scarcity and quality issues in AI for remote sensing;
• Ethical and privacy concerns with AI-driven environmental monitoring;
• Scalability and deployment challenges for AI models in real-world scenarios;
• Emerging trends and future research directions in AI and remote sensing.

Alessandro Galdelli, is an Assistant Professor at the Università Politecnica delle Marche. He received a B.Sc. degree in Computer and Automation Engineering from the Università Politecnica delle Marche with a thesis entitled "Porting su architettura ARM ed analisi comparativa delle patch real-time PREEMPT_RT e Xenomai per il kernel Linux". In July 2017, he received an M.Sc. degree in Computer and Automation Engineering from the Università Politecnica delle Marche with a thesis entitled "A new approach to 3D Reconstruction for the quality control of industrial products". Starting from his Ph.D. thesis, he is collaborating with National Research Council, Institute for Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnologies focusing on applied Artificial Intelligence for Precision Fishing, identification and classification of fishing activities. He is a coauthor of several international studies in his research fields and is involved in technological transfer projects.

Anna Nora Tassetti, is Researcher at the National Research Council, Institute for Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnologies (IRBIM-CNR). She is a civil engineer (2006), with a M.Sc. in Photogrammetry and Geoinformatics at Stuttgart Hochschule für Technik (2008) and a Ph.D. in Geomatics (2010) at Università Politecnica delle Marche. Since 2014 she has been involved in different national/international projects on maritime spatial planning and assessment of fishing pressure and human impacts on marine ecosystems , underwater/habitat mapping and spatial fishery data for the sustainable management of bioresources and biodiversity conservation. She is member of the ICES WG on Spatial Fisheries Data, of the FAO AdriaMed WG on Demersal Fisheries Resources and of the FAO MedSudMed WG on Demersal Fisheries. She has published over 30 peer reviewed scientific papers and more than other publications (i.e. datasets, technical reports, conference proceedings).

Luca Marsaglia, leads the analysis and technical efforts of Global FIshing Watch’s work in the Mediterranean and Europe. He collaborates with government officials, regional management bodies, academia and civil society to support fisheries management, monitoring and control with analytical insights.
Before joining Global Fishing Watch, Luca worked as a fisheries scientist at Wageningen University using genetic data to estimate population sizes of rays in the North Sea. He went on to serve as an intern at IFREMER—an oceanographic research institution in France—studying trends of demersal species with other ecosystem components. He has also worked closely with local fishers on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua to quantify bycatch of sea turtle species and provide recommendations for their conservation. Luca is currently pursuing a doctorate at the University of Rome where he is focusing research on innovative approaches to support sustainable fisheries management.
Luca holds a master’s degree in marine resources management with a specialization in fisheries ecology from Wageningen University and a Bachelor of Science from the University of British Columbia.

Adriano Mancini, received a Ph.D. degree in intelligent artificial systems from the Department of Information Engineering (DII), Universitá Politecnica delle Marche, in 2010. He currently holds an Associate Professor position with the DII, Universitá Politecnica delle Marche. His research interests include mobile robotics also for assisted living, machine learning, image processing, and geographic information systems. He is a coauthor of more than 120 international studies in his research fields and is involved in different EU projects and technological transfer projects.

Gagan Narang, i am a doctoral in training at the Vision Robotics Artificial Intelligence (VRAI) lab of the Università Politecnica delle Marche in Ancona, Italy. With a research background in interdisciplinary computational science, I have demonstrated a holistic approach to problem-solving. I actively engage in research activities and have a strong interest in data-driven emerging technologies for positive social change. Currently, my research focuses on using artificial intelligence for water resource conservation. I have experience in technology orchestration, including data collection, analytics, and system development, gained through academic, research, teaching, and industry collaborations. My long-term goal is to translate technological advancements into tangible social welfare outcomes.