[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/EW-08-14-14-Tracking-Fishing-Boats.mp3|titles=EW 08-14-14 Tracking Fishing Boats]
The Global Ocean Commission has released an eight-point plan aimed at protecting the high seas. Two-thirds of the ocean is considered ‘high seas,’ meaning it lies outside of a national territory. The goal of the GOC is to ensure effective management of these areas, safeguarding them from threats like overfishing.
According to the GOC, illegal fishing costs the global economy anywhere from 10 to 23 billion dollars annually. It also undermines global conservation efforts. The problem is especially rampant in countries that lack the resources to monitor nearby waters.
The GOC’s aims to curtail illegal fishing using global tracking technology. Under the plan, all legal fishing vessels would be required to register with the International Maritime Organization and have an automatic identification system installed. This would allow all legal fishing boats to be tracked by satellite.
By knowing the identity and whereabouts of legal operators, the GOC could target illegal vessels. Of course, this would be a major undertaking. But it is worth noting that merchant ships already follow these procedures, and the same identification technology is also built into cars and cell phones. Tracking technology is commonplace; it’s high time that we embrace it in the high seas.
The GOC plan also includes goals for reducing plastic pollution and developing global protocols for oil and gas exploration on the continental shelf. To read the full proposal, visit the Global Ocean Commission’s website.
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Web Links
Track every single fishing boat to preserve the ocean
The Global Ocean Commission’s final report is now available!
From Decline to Recovery: A Rescue Package for the Global Ocean
Photo, posted November 7, 2009, courtesy of Tony Alter via Flickr.
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Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio, with script contribution from the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies.