Can artificial intelligence enhance salmon recovery in Puget Sound? Sounds futuristic (and outlandish), but a grant from Microsoft’s new “A-I for Earth” initiative is supporting the work of the Salish Sea Marine Survival Project.
Sixty different entities in that project have been collaborating for nearly a decade, trying to solve the mystery of why so many juvenile salmon die after they swim out to the ocean. They have large amounts of data about things like water quality, prey and availability of food.
Michael Schmidt, deputy director of the non-profit Long Live the Kings, says Microsoft’s Azure platform is vastly improving the efficiency, speed and scalability of computer models they use to make that data meaningful.
“Machine learning is often applied to areas where you have lots of uncertainty, where there is lots of unknown and where you’re trying to process a lot of information,” Schmidt said. “Those are the two things. And that’s exactly what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to understand a very complex ecosystem with a limited amount of information and basically put the puzzle together.”
Scientists have observed a steep drop in survival rates of three species of salmon since the 1980s. Chinook, Coho and Steelhead are all in decline.
Microsoft launched its “A-I for Earth” initiative in July 2017, a pledge to support sustainability around the world with $50 million dollars in grants over 5 years.
Copyright 2017 KNKX
Related Stories:
Residents Weigh Options, Officials Scramble To Prep For Rattlesnake Ridge Landslide
There are about 50 residents in 15 houses and trailer homes on a crescent of land wedged in a depression between Interstate 82 and the hillside that’s cracking near them. According to measurements taken since October by the state and its consultant, the land above this community and Interstate 82 is starting to move more rapidly.
Read More » Anna King January 4, 2018
Conductor And Passenger From Derailed I-5 Amtrak Train Allege Inadequate Training
A conductor who was at the front of the Amtrak train that derailed Dec. 18, 2017, is alleging in a lawsuit that the crew received inadequate training. An injured passenger made similar claims in a separate lawsuit filed hours later.
Read More » Tom Banse January 4, 2018
Washington Legislative Preview: Salmon, Net Neutrality, Bump Stocks Among Pre-Filed Bills
Washington state lawmakers convene Monday, January 8 for a short 60-day election year session. Already lawmakers have pre-filed dozens of bills they’d like to see passed.
Read More » Austin Jenkins January 3, 2018