ENVIRONMENT

Using satellite data and machine learning, scientists have mapped activity in fisheries around the world. (National Geographic)

Use our activity on “Fisheries and Seafood Consumption” to help make sense of the new mapping data.

Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers Toolkit.

Discussion Ideas

• New research maps the footprint of industrial fishing in the world ocean. What is industrial fishing?
  • Industrial fishing, also called commercial fishing, is the industry responsible for catching and selling fish and other seafood for profit. Commercial fishing is an industry distinct from subsistence fishing (the harvesting of seafood to meet the nutritional needs of a family or community) or sport fishing (the activity of catching fish for competition or recreation).
  • Commercial fishing is often measured by the size of its vessels. The new research considered fishing vessels ranging from six to 146 meters (20 to 413 feet) in length.

• How was the new research conducted?
  • The new research integrated satellite data, machine learning, and signals from ships’ automatic identification systems (AIS).
    • The information allowed scientists to track where specific vessels and national fleets were, as well as what they were doing there: where they were transiting without fishing, where they were fishing, and how they were fishing.
    • Researchers “processed 22 billion automatic identification system messages and tracked more than 70,000 industrial fishing vessels from 2012 to 2016.”

• Take a look at the “spatial footprint of fishing” maps above. Use our glossary to introduce students to vocabulary such as fishery, trawl, longline fishing, purse seining, and marine protected area. Then apply a geographic perspective to answer the following questions.
  • Look at figure A. Why do students think there “holes” in fishing activity in the open ocean”?
  • Look at figure B. Why do students think trawling activity is concentrated near coastlines and not in the open ocean?
  • Look at figure F. Where are the most productive fisheries in the world?

• A marine protected area is a part of the ocean where human activity (including fishing) is limited. (Learn more about MPAs here.) How might the new research help support the establishment of new MPAs and other conservation measures?
  • According to Nat Geo, with the new map data, conservationists might be able to display regions that are already less-frequented by fishing vessels, and thus are already prime to be a low-cost, low-maintenance MPAs.

TEACHERS TOOLKIT

Nat Geo: Industrial Fishing Occupies a Third of the Planet

Nat Geo: Fisheries and Seafood Consumption

Nat Geo: Pristine Seas

Nat Geo: Marine Protected Areas

(extra credit!) Science: Tracking the global footprint of fisheries