from Hacker News

Wait, So How Much of the Ocean Is Actually Fished?

by samcampbell on 9/11/18, 12:19 AM with 4 comments

  • by wahern on 9/11/18, 12:47 AM

      Indeed, in just the past few months, researchers have used
      that data to [...] identify supply chains where vessels
      offload catches to each other at sea, and to show that the
      creation of marine protected areas can lead to a wave of
      pre-emptive overfishing.
    
    How long until some fishermen begin to claim a right to privacy? I don't mean that flippantly. Logically speaking, it's a stretch to go from a personal right of privacy as the EU is slowly enshrining to one that protects the economic activity of commercial actors. But as a practical and political matter I don't think it's insurmountable. In America we're experts at reframing these rights issues in a way that benefits corporations. Europe might not be immune to these pressures, simply behind the curve.
  • by samcampbell on 9/11/18, 12:25 AM

    >One prominent study said 55 percent, its critics say 4 percent, and they both used the same data.

    TL;DR - The first study (55% fished) divided the ocean in 160,000 squares (each 3,100 square kilometers) with 55% containing fishing activity in 2016.

    The second study divided the ocean into much smaller squares (123 square kilometers)and found only 4% had fishing activity in 2016.