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This article examines attempts to professionalize the teaching workforce in the Pacific Islands (PI) in response to the United Nation Sustainable Development Goal 4c -- "Increase the Supply of Qualified Teachers in Developing Countries." The experience of PI educators provides insight into the clash between global standard agendas, driven by targets and indicators, and distinct local realities or vernaculars. Questionnaire data from 82 teacher and principal participants in seven Pacific Island nations and six interviews with education bureaucrats and teacher union officials in Fiji suggest that the goal of enhancing teacher professionalism through credentialism can lead to paradoxical deprofessionalization and Indicator 4.c.1, limit the possibilities of teacher professionalization because of the narrowness of the indicator and the enactment of this in specific systems. The Pacific Islands is an under-researched context that highlights the problems with policy borrowing, particularly regarding the idea that developing countries can measure their way to professionalism. Indeed, more voice needs to be given to local practitioners to better understand their needs and aspirations and how the vernaculars of culture and place can enhance (not diminish) teacher professionalism.

At a time when social, economic and political decisions, along with environmental events, challenge the viability of remote communities, educators need to better prepare young people in these communities to work towards sustainability. Remote locations can be defined by their inaccessibility rather than just distance from the nearest services, while the sustainability construct encapsulates a range of community needs: environmental, social, cultural and economic. This paper describes experiences that involve innovative approaches towards educating for sustainability in remote locations in six diverse countries: South Africa, Scotland, Canada, United States of America, Pacific Island Nations, and Australia. For each, the nature of what constitutes a "remote" location, as well as the detail and challenges of the innovation are presented. Readers should consider how they might more suitably educate the next generation to protect, showcase and learn from/with the local knowledges and capacities of the people and environments in remote locations.

Fourteen member countries of the Pacific Islands Forum have adopted The Pacific Education Development Framework as a means of improving quality of education across the region. Within this framework, special education and inclusive education are seen as priority areas that endorse a rights-based approach to education. Aligned with other Pacific regional advances for improving the measurement of the effectiveness of this Framework, is the development of a set of indicators to measure efforts towards disability-inclusive education specifically in the Pacific islands. The aim of this study is to identify existing measures that governments currently employ to report against education outcomes. Data were collected by written responses from relevant ministries in the 14 Pacific member countries to a set of questions specifically developed to address this aim. This paper provides an analysis of these surveys and discusses how these data are informing the development of the indicators to ensure the provision of quality education for children with disabilities in the Pacific islands.

Ensuring healthy and sustainable food systems in increasing social, economic, and ecological change is a key global priority to protect human and environmental health. Seafood is an essential component of these food systems and a critical source of nutrients, especially in coastal communities. However, despite rapid transformations in aquatic food systems, and our urgent need to understand them, there is a dearth of data connecting harvested food production to actualized food consumption. Many analyses suggest institutional, legal, or technological innovations to improve food systems, but few have analyzed the pathways through which people already gain access to nutritious food. Here, using a random forest model and cluster analysis of a nationally representative data set from Kiribati, we operationalize access theory to trace the flows of consumptive benefit in a fisheries-based food system. We demonstrate that the market access mechanism is the key mechanism mediating seafood access in Kiribati, but importantly, the highest seafood consumption households showed lower market access, pointing to the importance of non-market acquisition (e.g., home production and gifting). We reveal six distinct household strategies that employ different sets of access mechanisms to ensure high levels of local seafood consumption in different contexts. We demonstrate the impacts of these strategies on the composition of household seafoods consumed, stressing the need to support these existing successful strategies. Finally, we point to key policy and management insights (e.g., improved infrastructure, shifts in species management) that may be more effective in reinforcing these existing pathways than commonly proposed food system interventions.

Objective: Diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of death worldwide, and multiple risk factors associated with diabetes mortality. Methods: Employing spatial statistics, we characterized the spatial distribution and patterns of diabetes mortality, and revealed the spatial relationship between diabetes mortality and 11 socioeconomic and environmental risk factors at the country level, from 1990 to 2019. Results: Globally, significantly high rates of diabetes mortality were primarily clustered in countries with limited land areas or located on islands, such as Fiji, Kiribati, Eswatini, and Trinidad and Tobago. Countries with weaker economic independence are more likely to have higher diabetes mortality rates. In addition, the impact of socioeconomic and environmental factors was significant at the country level, involving health expenditure, number of physicians, household and ambient air pollution, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Notably, the spatial relationship between diabetes mortality and ambient air pollution, as well as alcohol consumption, showed negative correlations. Countries with high diabetes mortality rates generally had lower levels of ambient air pollution and alcohol consumption. Conclusion: The study highlights the spatial clustering of diabetes mortality and its substantial variation. While many risk factors can influence diabetes mortality, it’s also essential to consider the level of these factors at the country level. Tailoring appropriate interventions based on specific national circumstances holds the potential to more effectively mitigate the burden of diabetes mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pacific Island countries have experienced periodic dengue, chikungunya and Zika outbreaks for decades. The prevention and control of these mosquito-borne diseases rely heavily on control of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which in most settings are the primary vector. Introgression of the intracellular bacterium Wolbachia pipientis (wMel strain) into Ae. aegypti populations reduces their vector competence and consequently lowers dengue incidence in the human population. Here we describe successful area-wide deployments of wMel-infected Ae. aegypti in Suva, Lautoka, Nadi (Fiji), Port Vila (Vanuatu) and South Tarawa (Kiribati). With community support, weekly releases of wMel-infected Ae. aegypti mosquitoes for between 2 to 5 months resulted in wMel introgression in nearly all locations. Long term monitoring confirmed a high, self-sustaining prevalence of wMel infecting mosquitoes in almost all deployment areas. Measurement of public health outcomes were disrupted by the Covid19 pandemic but are expected to emerge in the coming years. Author summary: For decades, dengue, Zika and chikungunya have been public health issues across the Pacific Island region. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are considered most responsible for the transmission of dengue between people. The introduction of a bacteria called Wolbachia pipientis (wMel strain) to these mosquitoes is known to reduce the transmission of these diseases. Herein, we describe the production and release of wMel-carrying Ae. aegypti mosquitoes into several Pacific Island cities, including Suva, Lautoka, and Nadi in Fiji, Port Vila in Vanuatu, and South Tarawa in Kiribati. With community support, these mosquitoes were released on a weekly basis for periods ranging from 2 to 5 months. The result was a widespread integration of the wMel bacteria into local mosquito populations. Long-term monitoring has shown that the wMel bacteria has been sustained at high levels in mosquitoes in nearly all of the areas where it was introduced. This innovative approach could potentially improve the way we combat mosquito-borne diseases, protecting communities in the Pacific Islands and beyond from the devastating effects of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pacific Small Island Developing State (SIDS) of Kiribati has met the formal, minimal criteria for graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category of the United Nations on multiple occasions from 2003 to 2018. Nevertheless, in light of both structural, long‐standing constraints and severe more recent challenges – such as the COVID‐19 pandemic, the Russia‐Ukraine conflict and the exacerbation of the climate crisis – that past assessments took into only partial consideration, the country still appears, at present, unready to lose the support measures that come with the LDC inclusion and to graduate, once and for all, with sustained "momentum." The analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats conducted in this paper suggests the need to further delay any decisions on graduation until more holistic, thorough readiness assessments can be conducted on the basis of new, additional indicators closely reflecting the full range of vulnerabilities that Kiribati, and other similar SIDS, currently face. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION In 2015, New Zealand deported a Kiribati man who sought asylum on the basis of climate change conditions in his home country. That man--Ioane Teitiota--argued that rising sea levels [...]

This is a discussion between artist and scholar Katerina Teaiwa and artist and curator Yuki Kihara about their collaborative exhibition Project Banaba—the origins of the project, the exhibition process, and its various iterations in Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, and beyond between 2017 and 2022. First staged at Carriageworks in Sydney, the multimedia exhibition follows the historical path of colonial-era phosphate mining on Banaba; phosphate fertiliser production, distribution, and consumption; displaced Banaban life; and associated archives, images, stories, and media. Project Banaba engages the communities where it is shown—both in a historic and a contemporary sense—while reflecting on imperialism, the movement of Indigenous lands and peoples through mining, the complicated Indigenous kinships resulting from this history, and the cultural revitalization and resilience of Banabans and other Pacific Islanders.

The period under review focused on the unprecedented health challenge that Kiribati faced when the Omicron variant of COVID-19 entered the islands after two COVID-19-free years and in a strained [...]

Abstract The Pacific Small Island Developing State (SIDS) of Kiribati has met the formal, minimal criteria for graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category of the United Nations on multiple occasions from 2003 to 2018. Nevertheless, in light of both structural, long‐standing constraints and severe more recent challenges – such as the COVID‐19 pandemic, the Russia‐Ukraine conflict and the exacerbation of the climate crisis – that past assessments took into only partial consideration, the country still appears, at present, unready to lose the support measures that come with the LDC inclusion and to graduate, once and for all, with sustained “momentum.” The analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats conducted in this paper suggests the need to further delay any decisions on graduation until more holistic, thorough readiness assessments can be conducted on the basis of new, additional indicators closely reflecting the full range of vulnerabilities that Kiribati, and other similar SIDS, currently face.

Abstract Background This paper responds to Asante et al. (in Hum Resour Health, 2014), providing an updated picture of the impacts of Cuban medical training in the Pacific region based on research carried out in 2019–2021, which focused on the experiences of Pacific Island doctors trained in Cuba and their integration into practice in their home countries. Methods The research focussed on two case studies—Solomon Islands and Kiribati. Study methods for this research included multi-sited ethnographic methods and semi-structured interviews as well as qualitative analysis of policy documents, reports, and media sources. Results The Cuban health assistance programme has had a significant impact on the medical workforce in the Pacific region increasing the number of doctors employed by Pacific Ministries of Health between 2012 and 2019. Qualitatively, there have been some notable improvements in the medical workforce and health delivery over this period. However, the integration of the Cuban-trained doctors into practise has been challenging, with criticisms of their clinical, procedural and communication skills, and the need for the rapid development of bridging and internship training programmes (ITPs) which were inadequately planned for at the outset of the programme. Conclusions The Cuban programme in the Pacific is an important model of development assistance for health in the region. While Cuba’s offer of scholarships was the trigger for a range of positive outcomes, the success of the programme has relied on input from a range of actors including support from other governments and institutions, and much hard work by the graduates themselves, often in the face of considerable criticism. Key impacts of the programme to date include the raw increase in the number of doctors and the development of the ITPs and career pathways for the graduates, although this has also led to the reorientation of Cuban graduates from preventative to curative health. There is considerable potential for these graduates to contribute to improved health outcomes across the region, particularly if their primary and preventative health care skills are utilised.

Baseline mapping in the two major population centers of Kiribati showed that trachoma was a public health problem in need of programmatic interventions. After conducting two annual rounds of antibiotic mass drug administration (MDA), Kiribati undertook trachoma impact surveys in 2019, using standardized two-stage cluster surveys in the evaluation units of Kiritimati Island and Tarawa. In Kiritimati, 516 households were visited and in Tarawa, 772 households were visited. Nearly all households had a drinking water source and access to an improved latrine. The prevalence of trachomatous trichiasis remained above the elimination threshold (0.2% in ≥15-year-olds) and was virtually unchanged from baseline. The prevalence of trachomatous inflammation—follicular (TF) in 1–9-year-olds decreased by approximately 40% from baseline in both evaluation units but remained above the 5% TF prevalence threshold for stopping MDA. TF prevalence at impact survey was 11.5% in Kiritimati and 17.9% in Tarawa. Infection prevalence in 1–9-year-olds by PCR was 0.96% in Kiritimati and 3.3% in Tarawa. Using a multiplex bead assay to measure antibodies to the C. trachomatis antigen Pgp3, seroprevalence in 1–9-year-olds was 30.2% in Kiritimati and 31.4% in Tarawa. The seroconversion rate, in seroconversion events/100 children/year, was 9.0 in Kiritimati and 9.2 in Tarawa. Seroprevalence and seroconversion rates were both assessed by four different assays, with strong agreement between tests. These results show that, despite decreases in indicators associated with infection at impact survey, trachoma remains a public health problem in Kiribati, and provide additional information about changes in serological indicators after MDA. Author summary: This study compares different indicators for the eye disease trachoma before and after two annual rounds of mass azithromycin treatment of affected communities of Kiribati. We saw decreases in the proportion of children with the sign TF (trachomatous inflammation—follicular) that is used by trachoma programs to make decisions about starting and stopping mass treatment, but these decreases were not sufficient to make the decision to stop. We also saw decreases in infection and antibody levels after treatment. The study provides important public health information to Kiribati trachoma programs, but also adds to the growing body of evidence to guide the use of alternative indicators–infection and antibody–to support these programs. Measuring antibody levels in communities over time helps us understand how antibody levels change as community infection prevalence decreases. Understanding antibody dynamics over time can help us better estimate antibody-based thresholds for surveillance after elimination of trachoma as a public health problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper responds to Asante et al. (in Hum Resour Health, 2014), providing an updated picture of the impacts of Cuban medical training in the Pacific region based on research carried out in 2019–2021, which focused on the experiences of Pacific Island doctors trained in Cuba and their integration into practice in their home countries. Methods: The research focussed on two case studies—Solomon Islands and Kiribati. Study methods for this research included multi-sited ethnographic methods and semi-structured interviews as well as qualitative analysis of policy documents, reports, and media sources. Results: The Cuban health assistance programme has had a significant impact on the medical workforce in the Pacific region increasing the number of doctors employed by Pacific Ministries of Health between 2012 and 2019. Qualitatively, there have been some notable improvements in the medical workforce and health delivery over this period. However, the integration of the Cuban-trained doctors into practise has been challenging, with criticisms of their clinical, procedural and communication skills, and the need for the rapid development of bridging and internship training programmes (ITPs) which were inadequately planned for at the outset of the programme. Conclusions: The Cuban programme in the Pacific is an important model of development assistance for health in the region. While Cuba's offer of scholarships was the trigger for a range of positive outcomes, the success of the programme has relied on input from a range of actors including support from other governments and institutions, and much hard work by the graduates themselves, often in the face of considerable criticism. Key impacts of the programme to date include the raw increase in the number of doctors and the development of the ITPs and career pathways for the graduates, although this has also led to the reorientation of Cuban graduates from preventative to curative health. There is considerable potential for these graduates to contribute to improved health outcomes across the region, particularly if their primary and preventative health care skills are utilised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinity can influence microbial communities and related functional groups in lacustrine sediments, but few studies have examined temporal variability in salinity and associated changes in lacustrine microbial communities and functional groups. To better understand how microbial communities and functional groups respond to salinity, we examined geochemistry and functional gene amplicon sequence data collected from 13 lakes located in Kiritimati, Republic of Kiribati (2° N, 157° W) in July 2014 and June 2019, dates which bracket the very large El Niño event of 2015–2016 and a period of extremely high precipitation rates. Lake water salinity values in 2019 were significantly reduced and covaried with ecological distances between microbial samples. Specifically, phylum- and family-level results indicate that more halophilic microorganisms occurred in 2014 samples, whereas more mesohaline, marine, or halotolerant microorganisms were detected in 2019 samples. Functional Annotation of Prokaryotic Taxa (FAPROTAX) and functional gene results (nifH, nrfA, aprA) suggest that salinity influences the relative abundance of key functional groups (chemoheterotrophs, phototrophs, nitrogen fixers, denitrifiers, sulfate reducers), as well as the microbial diversity within functional groups. Accordingly, we conclude that microbial community and functional gene groups in the lacustrine sediments of Kiritimati show dynamic changes and adaptations to the fluctuations in salinity driven by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This note reports observations of a presumed Beck's Petrel Pseudobulweria becki and a Vanuatu Petrel Pterodroma [cervicalis] occulta in April 2022, in the low latitudes of the North Pacific, north of Kiritimati, Republic of Kiribati. The sightings are significant because the ranges of both taxa are barely known and their conservation classifications are concerning. We explain the circumstances of each sighting and the process of identification, reflecting upon current identification criteria and our studies of Beck's Petrel and Vanuatu Petrel at their breeding grounds. Discussion is illustrated with photographs of each bird and its cryptic confusion counterpart--the larger Tahiti Petrel Pseudobulweria rostrata for Beck's Petrel, and the larger White-necked Petrel Pterodroma cervicalis for Vanuatu Petrel. These two confusion pairs are generally considered inseparable at sea, but we demonstrate otherwise, given favourable circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Micronesia is an ethnogeographic region within the continent of Oceania that represents an underserved area of the world. Cancer is the second leading cause of death among the people of Micronesia and indigenous Pacific Islanders share an unequal burden of the disease. Many factors come into play when discussing the adverse health outcomes of Micronesian people. Our paper intends to review these factors that have led to the ongoing health crisis among indigenous Pacific Islanders. It is well appreciated that the social determinants of health are intimately related with health outcomes. However, there is a paucity of literature that explores these themes comprehensively for the indigenous people within Micronesia. Certain Micronesia-specific factors, such as transitions from traditional diets, the consumption of betel nut, and exposure to radiation from the nuclear bomb testing in the Marshall Islands, have predisposed certain Micronesian populations to an increased risk of developing a variety of malignancies. Furthermore, severe weather events and rising sea levels attributed to climate change threaten to compromise cancer care resources and displace entire Micronesian populations. The consequences of these risks are expected to increase the strain on the already challenged, disjointed, and burdened healthcare infrastructure in Micronesia, likely leading to more expenses in off-island referrals. A general shortage of Pacific Islander physicians within the workforce reduces the number of patients that can be seen, as well as the quality of culturally competent care that is delivered. In this narrative review, we comprehensively underscore the health disparities and cancer inequities faced by the underserved communities within Micronesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the establishment of the Kiribati Medical Assistance Team (KIRIMAT) in Kiribati, a small island nation in the Pacific. Kiribati is vulnerable to climate change and rising sea levels, and its health services face challenges in responding to emergencies due to transport limitations and human resource constraints. KIRIMAT was launched in 2022 to serve as a deployable clinical capacity for health emergency response, with a focus on reaching remote outer islands. The team underwent training and has a cache of equipment and supplies to support their deployments. This initiative strengthens Kiribati's ability to respond to emergencies and improves coordination with international emergency medical teams. [Extracted from the article]

Climate change threatens to drive significant migration from Small Island Developing States (SIDS), where hundreds of thousands are at risk of internal displacement and many are already moving, both internally and internationally. However, when international borders are crossed, environmental migrants fleeing the adverse effects of climate change are not yet automatically afforded legal protection under international law. The international law principle of non-refoulement offers a legal pathway to fill this legal protection gap for environmental migrants, but only if threshold requirements are met on a case-by-case basis. Importantly, the principle of the best interests of the child further offers a potential pathway to provide protection to migrant children affected by climate change., INTRODUCTION Environmental degradation and natural disasters are among the most significant contemporary drivers of global movement. (1) It is estimated that environmental disasters internally displaced 228 million people between 2008 [...]

Reviews of the Federated States of Micronesia, Guahan (Guam), the Marshall Islands, Nauru, and Palau are not included in this issue. KIRIBATI Given its vulnerability to fluctuations in its currency [...]

The pelagic stingray (Pteroplatytrygon violacea), perhaps the only stingray to inhabit open ocean waters, is highly interactive with longline and purse seine fisheries. The threat to P. violacea posed by high bycatch mortality has received widespread attention. To date, the environmental preference of P. violacea, which is important in designing conservation and management measures, has not been well studied. Based on data collected during a 2016–2019 survey in the Pacific Ocean by national observers of tuna longline fisheries, the relationship between the presence of P. violacea and spatiotemporal and environmental variables was first analyzed using the Generalized Additive Model. The results showed that geographic location (latitude and longitude) was the most influential variable. Monthly, P. violacea is frequently present in the Pacific high sea from December to May. The El Niño–Southern Oscillation had a significant impact on the presence of P. violacea in the Pacific high sea, with both the cold (Ocean Nino Index <−0.5) and warm (Ocean Nino Index >1) phases leading to a decrease in its presence. Regarding the environmental factors, we found that high presence was associated with low salinity (33.0~34.5 psu), a relatively high concentration of chlorophyll (0.2–0.35 mg/m3), and warm water (>20 °C). P. violacea was most likely observed in the waters offshore, closer to seamounts, and with water depths between 4000 and 5000 m. Four areas, including those east of the Solomon Islands and east of Kiribati, areas west of the Galapagos Islands, and areas near the coastal upwelling of northern Peru, related to upwelling systems or seamounts, were identified as the potential key habitats of P. violacea. Predicted distribution maps showed a significant seasonal variation in the presence of P. violacea. Moreover, the yearly change in the presence of P. violacea in the Pacific high sea indicated a possible decreasing trend in recent years. The information first provided here is essential for developing conservation and management measures for P. violacea to prevent the unavoidable ecological consequences of bycatch or other anthropogenic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Korea is currently in the preparatory stage of commercializing an ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) system, as the demonstration of a 1 MW scale OTEC system has been accomplished. However, the commercialization of OTEC requires the establishment of a control system for various environmental changes. Therefore, pre-emptive identification of the system's risk factors and the process of analyzing the impact of the system, building control items, and optimizing control are necessary. This study aims to establish and analyze an optimized control system for MW-scale OTEC risk factors, such as the shutdown of seawater or refrigerant pumps. The selected OTEC system was designed for 1070 kW class facilities, with a 36.6% portion of total electricity usage by the seawater pump and refrigerant pump. As a result, an on/off control system was adopted in order to eliminate the risk factors. By adjusting this option, dry operation of the refrigerant pump, water hammering, and liquid inflow into the turbine were successfully prevented. To be more specific, the initial system was to be shut down due to a sharp decrease in power at the point where the deep seawater flow rate was 538 kg/s (35.7% of max flow rate) and the surface seawater flow rate was 715 kg/s (38.4% of max flow rate). This situation was improved by adopting parallel operation of seawater pumps and on/off control, thereby leading to a more stabilized operation by maintaining a flow rate of over 1864 kg/s for surface seawater and 1507 kg/s for deep seawater. Moreover, it was confirmed that the flow rate of the pump was reduced by 1.89 kg/s per second in the process of pump shutdown during a single operation mode of the refrigerant pump. Parallel operation made it possible to maintain 60.2% of the output by increasing the power of the second pump's flow rate in the event of the first pump shutting down. The final seawater temperature differential power generation model derived from this study consists of two refrigerant pumps and two surface seawater and deep seawater pumps in order to prevent system shutdown caused by a single pump failure. The final design was reflected in the final delivery to Kiribati, which is located near the equator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prenatal dental examinations were performed from June 2012 to May 2013 in the Republic of Kiribati as a Japan International Cooperation Agency support program. We analyzed the examination data and compared it with Japanese data retrospectively to clarify the oral health condition of pregnant women in the Republic of Kiribati. We recorded the DMF index, gingival status, and calculus attachment, analyzed data of 512 pregnant women. We also compared the city and the rural group data. The average number of present teeth, decayed teeth, missing teeth and filled teeth was 26.9, 2.5, 1.1, 0.2, respectively. Pregnant Kiribati women had significantly more decayed teeth and fewer filled teeth, more severe periodontal condition, more calculus deposition, and more severe gingival swelling than pregnant Japanese women. No significant difference was found in missing and filled teeth, but pregnant women in the city group had significantly more decayed teeth and tooth stumps than those in the rural group. Our findings indicate that pregnant women in Kiribati have more decayed teeth, more missing teeth, fewer filled teeth, and more severe periodontal problems than their counterparts in Japan. Additionally, the oral health status of pregnant women in Kiribati could be subject to regional variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because many vessels use the Automatic Identification System (AIS) to broadcast GPS positions, recent advances in satellite technology have enabled us to map global fishing activity. Understanding of human activity at sea, however, is limited because an unknown number of vessels do not broadcast AIS. Those vessels can be detected by satellite-based Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery, but this technology has not yet been deployed at scale to estimate the size of fleets in the open ocean. Here we combine SAR and AIS for large-scale open ocean monitoring, developing methods to match vessels with AIS to vessels detected with SAR and estimate the number of non-broadcasting vessels. We reveal that, between September 2019 and January 2020, non-broadcasting vessels accounted for about 35% of the longline activity north of Madagascar and 10% of activity near French Polynesia and Kiribati's Line Islands. We further demonstrate that this method could monitor half of the global longline activity with about 70 SAR images per week, allowing us to track human activity across the oceans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea level rise (SLR) in small island countries such as Kiribati and Tuvalu have been a significant issue for decades. There is an urgent need for more accurate and reliable scientific information regarding SLR and its trend and for more informed decision making. This study uses the tide gauge (TG) dataset obtained from locations in Betio, Kiribati and Funafuti, Tuvalu with sea level corrections for vertical land movement (VLM) at these locations from the data obtained by the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) before the sea level trend and rise predictions. The oceanic feature inputs of water temperature, barometric pressure, wind speed, wind gust, wind direction, air temperature, and three significant lags of sea level are considered in this study for data modeling. A new data decomposition method, namely, successive variational mode decomposition (SVMD), is employed to extract intrinsic modes of each feature that are processed for selection by the Boruta random optimizer (BRO). The study develops a deep learning model, namely, stacked bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM), to make sea level (target variable) predictions that are benchmarked by three other AI models adaptive boosting regressor (AdaBoost), support vector regression (SVR), and multilinear regression (MLR). With a comprehensive evaluation of performance metrics, stacked BiLSTM attains superior results of 0.994207, 0.994079, 0.988219, and 0.899868 for correlation coefficient, Wilmott's Index, the Nash–Sutcliffe Index, and the Legates–McCabe Index, respectively, for Kiribati, and with values of 0.996806, 0.996272, 0.992316, and 0.919732 for correlation coefficient, Wilmott's Index, the Nash–Sutcliffe Index, and the Legates–McCabe Index, respectively, for the case of Tuvalu. It also shows the lowest error metrics in prediction for both study locations. Finally, trend analysis and linear projection are provided with the GNSS-VLM-corrected sea level average for the period 2001 to 2040. The analysis shows an average sea level rate rise of 2.1 mm/yr for Kiribati and 3.9 mm/yr for Tuvalu. It is estimated that Kiribati and Tuvalu will have a rise of 80 mm and 150 mm, respectively, by the year 2040 if estimated from year 2001 with the current trend. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]