Gullmar Fjord's AI cameras counted 150,000 animals. Not 150,000 fish
Almost 150,000 fish and other animals have swum past the Eye of the Fjord cameras in Sweden. There is one small detail. Many of them were the same fish, coming back again and again.
The number sounds like a stadium full of ocean life. In reality, it is a count of appearances: every time an animal swims past the camera, it counts again. AI now helps researchers in Gullmar Fjord recognise and count what passes by, and the result is part science, part very entertaining fish television.
Two cameras, two different underwater rooms
The Eye of the Fjord cameras sit just outside Kristineberg Marine Research Station. One watches an eelgrass meadow at five metres. The other looks across a rocky ledge at 22 metres.
Researchers say the cameras have recorded 50 species, including fish, crustaceans, nudibranchs and birds.
The cameras are designed to watch marine life without disturbing it, while gathering data all year. Researchers can compare which species appear at different depths and seasons with records of temperature, salinity, plankton and oxygen.
Why doesn't 150,000 mean 150,000 animals?
The AI systems count appearances in the footage, not individuals. A territorial fish may live right next to a camera and swim past many times a day. The Swedish Polar Research Secretariat says clearly that the total is not a count of unique animals.
That is the fun twist, and a useful science lesson too.
Where to watch
The research project says the camera streams can be watched live, day or night. One sits in the eelgrass. The other sits near a deeper rock wall.
You may see fish, crustaceans, nudibranchs, seals or cormorants. Nothing is guaranteed, and the stream and its quality can change while the project upgrades its systems.
Explore our Sweden ocean guide for more marine-life stories.
Think of it as the sea’s own livestream. The stars are small, the schedule is unpredictable, and the fish do not read the comments.
Questions people ask
Did the AI count 150,000 different animals?
No. The AI systems count appearances in the footage. The Swedish Polar Research Secretariat notes that the total is not a count of unique animals.
Why are there so many repeat counts?
Territorial fish may live close to a camera and swim past it many times.
What do the two cameras show?
One watches an eelgrass meadow at five metres. The other looks across a rocky ledge at 22 metres. Researchers say they have recorded 50 species.
Can I watch live?
The research project says the streams can be watched live, day or night. Stream and image quality can vary while the project upgrades its systems.
Wildlife encounters are never guaranteed and never forced. Ocean Calling works only with vetted, ethical local operators, and every animal is free to approach, or not, entirely on its own terms.
Sources & further reading
Further reading on Ocean Calling: Sweden in the Ocean Atlas · Watching wildlife without interfering · When ocean data disappears
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