Hierarchical Risk- Based Spatial Analysis of Maritime Fishing Traffic and Incidents in Canadian Atlantic Waters

Abstract

Maritime traffic analysis is growing in importance for many reasons: risk management, accident prevention and response planning. Since most decisions are location-sensitive, one important consideration in maritime traffic analysis involves maritime risk analysis, including spatial analysis to identify hot spots. Hot spots areas are concentrations of incidents within a limited geographical area that appear over time.

In recent years, information - particularly spatially referenced information - and the tools for information analysis have become increasingly recognized as an essential part of the policy-making and decision- making processes to make the descriptive, explanatory, predictive and risk prevention models.

The increasing power of computing hardware and software and the increasing sophistication of the analytical geomatics techniques mean that new opportunities are available for spatial analysis to improve the quality of risk prevention plans.

Recent studies have shown that geospatial information is of fundamental importance to maritime risk analysis providing efficient risk management and GISs represent a powerful new technology that can address many information needs of risk managers and decision makers working with geographically referenced data.

This study used the increased capabilities offered by Geomatics techniques and geographic information systems to identify hazardous locations for maritime traffic in Canadian Atlantic waters. This research uses spatial analysis to examine risks associated with maritime commercial fishing vessels activities and incidents.