resourcewatch

By Emily Cassidy, Amelia Snyder, and Kristine Lister from Resource Watch, and David Kroodsma, Global Fishing Watch

More than one billion people depend on fisheries and aquaculture as a primary source of protein. In many low-income countries, they also rely on fishing for income. While countries mostly fish within their own jurisdictions, according to data gathered by Global Fishing Watch, a handful of nations, mostly wealthy ones, fish extensively in the high seas, the international waters beyond 200 nautical miles of coastlines. These fleets often cluster right at the boundaries of some countries’ jurisdictions, harvesting fish that cross into international waters. This activity, known as “fishing the line,” is especially common along the boundaries of some poorer nations’ waters, and it may represent a transfer of resources from developing countries to wealthier ones. Continue reading “Fishing the Line: Capturing Resources that Swim Across Boundaries” →